A federal stimulus grant through the U.S. Department of Energy will allow eight Indiana public and private agencies to convert over 900 work vehicles to use alternative fuels.

The Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition and the Indiana Office of Energy Development received a $10.2 million grant to support the $22.8 million initiative.

The money will be used to purchase or convert vehicles, support e85 ethanol retail sites, and create a compressed natural gas corridor throughout the state.

"This project will reduce our oil use by $1 million," says Coalition Executive Director Kellie Walsh.

The effort is also expected to create 200 jobs to support vehicle conversion and fueling site construction.

The project application began in August 2009 and must be completed by September 2011 according to project guidelines.

Indiana was one of only 25 states accepted in the program.

The eight projects and partners include:

Indiana Department of Transportation - 115 propane fueling sites across the state; Retrofit of 200 F250s to AutoGas (propane);

Implementation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) dump trucks

City of Indianapolis – 10 Propane F150s; Alternative Fuel Vans for Marion County Sheriff’s Department and 25 hybrid light duty vehicles

Citizens Energy - Upgrade of compressed natural gas fueling station

Lassus Brothers Oil - Three E85 fuel locations around Ft Wayne

City of Ft. Wayne - Use of E85 stations for police fleet fueling; Implementation of light and medium duty hybrid trucks

KAKCO – Upgrade to CNG station

Sysco Distribution – Implementation of 57 hybrid trucks

RUAN Trucking—New CNG station in Clarksville, IN and the purchase of a Class 8 CNG Semis

- Amber Steams

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