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American Lung Association Call for Partners for EPA Grant
The American Lung Association (although it is its Midwest Chapter) is looking for partners no matter where they are in the country for the EPA DERA grant. The American Lung Association internal deadline is this Friday, April 1, 2016 (which is slightly flexible). Fleet partners will be end-users (fleets: either public or private) that operate in non-attainment areas (Dallas/Fort Worth , Houston-Galveston, El Paso or other non-attainment areas in across the country). Contact the American Lung Association if you have a fleet or fleets interested in replacing a dirty diesel vehicle with a cleaner-burning propane vehicle (e.g. bobtails, school buses).Interested parties, please contact:
Angela Tin
Vice President Environmental Health
American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest
3000 Kelly Lane | Springfield, IL 62711
General: 217.787.5864 | Direct: 217. 241.9027 | Fax: 217.787.5916
www.lungum.org | Angela.Tin@lung.orgAs a reminder, the DFW Clean Cities has a similar grant that is for vehicles transporting goods e.g. propane bobtails and propane forklifts, click here for the North Texas grant information.
Photo compliments of www.freedigitalimages.net
Propane-Powered Vehicles Transporting Goods: An Option for Grants from North Texas
Recently, the North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) announced a call for clean vehicle projects. This grant opportunity is for the replacement of dirty-diesel vehicles (MY 1994-2006) with a newer cleaner diesel or alternative fuel vehicles like propane-powered vehicles. These are for vehicles/on-road equipment transporting goods or a commodity. Propane is viewed as a commodity by NCTCOG so bobtails that meet the qualifications could be eligible.
The grant is awarded will pay for 25% of the cost of the replacement vehicle or 35% of the cost of the vehicle if it meets the CARB low NOx option.
Eligible vehicles/equipment must operate within one of the ten counties currently designated as non-attainment for the pollutant ozone (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise).
There is no minimum amount of vehicles that someone has to apply for. A marketer could apply for one. At this time, they do not know if it will be competitive, it depends on how many applications they receive. Sometimes they have received more applications than funding they are eligible for and sometimes they have received no applications what so ever.
Application materials must be received in-hand no later than 5pm Central Standard Time, on Friday, April 15, 2016, to Lori Clark, Principal Air Quality Planner, North Central Texas Council of Governments, 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, Texas 76011.
For application materials and additional details, see www.nctcog.org/aqfunding.
For additional information, interest parties can contact the grant administrator, Lori Clark at lclark@nctcog.org or at 817-695-9232.
Green School Bus Funding for Texas School Districts Decoded
The Propane Council of Texas Examines the Many Funding Opportunities to Go Green
Right now is the perfect time for school districts to switch to cleaner-burning propane-powered school buses. There is a multitude of funding opportunities that can help school districts replace their buses with a greener option from state to federal funds. Below we focus on school bus specific grants.
All the below grants are eligible statewide (except the below mentioned HGAC regional grant):
Alternative Fuel Initiatives School Bus Rebate Program
Last week, the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) announced a competitive grant for smaller, rural school districts. Texas tax-payer supported school districts may be eligible up to $8,000 per bus up to 10 buses. Submission deadline is October 31, 2015.Click here to visit the grant homepage
DERA 2015 School Bus Replacement
Additionally, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just announced $7 million in funding for school buses through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). Applicants may list up to ten buses for replacements on each application. These buses must be powered by a model year 2006 or older engine. EPA will pay between $15,000 and $25,000 per bus, depending on vehicle size. The bus being replaced must be scrapped and permanently disabled. The deadline to apply is October 30, 2015.Click here to visit the grant homepage
Alternative Fuels Clean School Bus Replacement Programs
Through a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Statewide Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP), both the Railroad Commission and the Texas PTA have funding for school districts to replace older diesel school buses that are 2002 or older with new alternative fuel buses like propane. There are a couple differences between the two programs.
The Railroad Commission Program requires school districts to be NEW to propane. Texas PTA does not require a school to be new to propane; however, they do require the school district receiving the bus to have one school belonging to the Texas PTA.
Both programs require that the buses be scrapped. Funding is cyclical as money comes in as TCEQ accesses fines and violators choose which Statewide Supplemental Environmental Project they want their fines to go to.
The Railroad Commission is actively seeking school districts that are looking to make the switch so they can call them when funds come in to help districts make the transition.
Contact information for the grant administrators of the both SEP’s are below:
Railroad Commission contact: Art Valladares 512-463-7359 art.valladares@rrc.state.tx.us
Texas PTA contact: Mayra Guevara (512) 320-9825 mguevara@txpta.org
Houston-Galveston Area Council SEP
Houston-Galveston Area Council also implements a TCEQ SEP to help replace 2010 or older buses with new, lower emission buses that meet the most recent EPA emissions standards.School district must operate the bus 75 % of their time in Harris, Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston or Brazoria counties. Buses must be scrapped.
Please call (832) 681-2578 for more information.
National Propane Mower Incentive Program Ending
On July 10, 2015, the current National Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) Propane Mower Incentive Program will cease accepting new applications, and all activity within the program will begin to draw to a close. A revised and refreshed incentive program is in the planning stages and will be announced in the coming months.
PERC has remained very committed to this program, as it serves as both a unique sales tool for the industry and a measurement for market success. Since 2013, the Mower Incentive Program has helped place over 3,100 propane mowers into the marketplace, adding 3.1M gallons of demand to the market since its inception and roughly 15.5M gallons of demand over the next five years (avg. lifespan of the equipment).
All national incentive program communications and the online application will be updated this week to reflect the program status.
Below are some key notes regarding the end of the Propane Mower Incentive Program.
- The incentive was subject to the available budgeted funds and, as such, could end at any time should program funding be depleted.
- No new applications will be accepted after July 10th.
- PERC will honor all current applications in process prior to the July 10th deadline, provided the applicant completes the program paperwork and requirements.
- A new Propane Mower Incentive Program is in the planning stages, and an announcement will likely be made in the fall of 2015.
Please contact Jeremy Wishart at 202-452-8975 or jeremy.wishart@propane.com with any questions.
