Michigan City commission hears updates on fleet decarbonization, explores grants for EVs and CNG options

Commissioners discussed two separate efforts to reduce emissions from city vehicles at the March 12 Michigan City Sustainability Commission meeting.

The commission recorded that Project Team A is evaluating compressed natural gas (CNG) as an option for the city fleet; the item is led by "Councilman at large Don Presbolinsky," but no substantive update was available at this meeting.

Members gave more detail about an electric municipal vehicle project involving the Michigan City Police Department and the Transit Department. "Michigan City is exploring grants that are available from Drive Clean Indiana for police vehicles and charging stations," the commission reported, and staff are working with Drive Clean Indiana to start the grant process. Commissioners said initial work includes identifying vehicle types, charging-station locations and the costs to extend electrical service where needed.

Commissioner Tristan Bogart said outreach is moving the project forward: "They reached back out to us themselves to keep this moving forward," he said, and added that he had already written a letter of support to the police chief and to Drive Clean Indiana. Another commissioner said the commission would also send a letter of support.

The commission did not take formal action at the meeting on either project; members described the efforts as ongoing and contingent on grant awards, technical reviews and further interdepartmental coordination.