LARA - Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services Awards More Than $54,000 in Grants to Encourage Schools & Municipalities to Use Biodiesel Fuels

Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services Awards More Than $54,000 in Grants to Encourage Schools & Municipalities to Use Biodiesel Fuels

Contact: Maura Campbell 517.373.9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

FEBRUARY 7, 2003 - Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services Director David C. Hollister announced today that the CIS Energy Office has awarded more than $54,000 in grants to the City of Ann Arbor and five Michigan school districts to demonstrate the use and benefits of biodiesel fuel locally.

The recipients, grant amounts and local contacts are:

City of Ann Arbor - $10,000

Contact: Dave Konkle, City of Ann Arbor, Energy Office (734) 996-3150

Ann Arbor Public Schools - $10,000

Contact: Randy Trent, Ann Arbor Public Schools (734) 994-8118

Fowlerville Community Schools - $7,248

Contact: Linwood Hibbard, Fowlerville Community Schools (517) 223-6027

Manchester Community Schools - $6,830

Contact: David Oegema, Manchester Community Schools (734) 428-9711

St. Johns Public Schools - $10,000

Contact: Joanne Denovich, St. Johns Public Schools (989) 227-5331

Zeeland Public Schools - $10,000

Contact: David VanGinhoven, Zeeland Public Schools (616) 748-3006

The projects will include an educational campaign by fleet operators to increase public awareness about the viability of operating school buses and municipal fleets on biodiesel fuel. The grants, which are funded by a federal program, support Michigan's participation in the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities program. The Clean Cities Program promotes voluntary alternative fuel use and infrastructure development to help the U.S. achieve energy security and improved air quality with clean burning, domestically produced alternative fuels.

"These grants will encourage school and municipal fleet owners to purchase domestically produced biodiesel fuel and thus accelerate the market demand for this fuel throughout Michigan," Hollister said. "Increasing the use of biodiesel fuel will reduce harmful tailpipe emissions and provide air quality benefits to communities and especially the children and drivers who ride biodiesel fueled school buses."

Biodiesel is a cleaner burning diesel replacement fuel made from natural, renewable sources such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats. Blends of 20 percent or more biodiesel (mixed with petroleum diesel fuels) can be used in nearly all diesel vehicles with no modifications needed.

For additional information, contact Tim Shireman, CIS Energy Office (517) 241-6281 or email: tashire@michigan.gov. For more information about the CIS Energy Office, visit: http://www.michigan.gov/energyoffice