Tulsa - Tulsa city councilors will consider spending tax dollars to receive a federal grant designed to help keep the air clean.

The city is eligible for $50,000 provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation by meeting EPA standards for clean air.

Senior transportation adviser James Wagner works with the Indian Nation Council of Governments (INCOG). He says the money will be used for bicycle racks that could bring more riders downtown and to Brookside.

"The purpose is to provide bicycle parking so that people might be more encouraged to take that as a mode of transportation, instead of everyone having to drive downtown," Wagner said.

Yet, a 20% local match is required to receive the grant. Councilors will consider allocating the $12,500 needed at Tuesday's regular council meeting, a total of 62,500 bucks for bike racks.

Choosing not to provide matching funds could cost the city down the road, Wagner said, especially if Tulsa wound up on the bad air list.

"It's a pretty hard blow to any city that gets on there. The EPA is currently considering lowering the ozone emission standard to a point that would definitely put us on the dirty air list."

Being on such a list prohibits cities from starting projects that might encourage more pollution, such as road widening, Wagner said.

If the city council approves matching funds, the grant money will be available immediately. Design and placement plans for the racks are currently underway. It's too early to tell how many or exactly where they would be installed.

Even in a city budget crunch, Wagner says using local tax-payer dollars as leverage to get the grant will make downtown a more vital urban environment.

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