Propane Council of Texas Announces Funding Opportunity for Cleaner Burning Propane School Buses
State program provides school districts money to replace aging buses
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) just announced $6.2M funding under their newly expanded Clean School Bus Program. The Clean School Bus Program open now will provide grants to public and charter schools as well as school transportation companies statewide to install exhaust retrofits as well as replace older diesel school buses with new school buses. One of those options includes replacement of older buses with cleaner-burning propane autogas school buses.
The Propane Council of Texas is excited about a new opportunity to put cleaner school buses on Texas roads. According to the EPA, diesel exhaust is exceptionally harmful to children because their lungs are not fully developed. Not only that, but these older diesel buses produce higher amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to smog, ground level ozone and is associated with adverse health effects. Cleaner-burning propane school buses are available from top school bus manufacturers.
“Texas is home to over 26,000 pre-2007 diesel school buses. If school districts would replace all the pre-2007 school buses, Texas could reduce (NOx) by 7.5M pounds a year,” states Propane Council of Texas Executive Director, Bill Van Hoy.
School districts can replace a pre-2007 school bus with propane school bus and get between $36,500 -$52,500 dependent on the passenger capacity. Funding is first come, first serve with a limit of funding 5 school buses per district.
The Clean School Bus Grant guidelines and application can be found on the TCEQ website at www.terpgrants.org.
School districts interested to switch to propane school can contact the Propane Council of Texas for information at info@propanecounciloftexas.org or calling (800)325-7427.
About the Propane Council of Texas The Propane Council of Texas is (ProCOT) is a 501 (c) 3 educational and marketing foundation. Our objective is consumer education, highlighting the benefits of home-grown propane and promoting clean-burning propane technologies like propane school buses.
North Texas Commission Rolls Out Preferred Parking Program for Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Program Possible Through Grant from North Central Texas Council of Governments, Department of Energy
North Texas – The North Texas Commission, a non-profit organization that markets the region, advocates for regional issues and fosters collaboration among regional stakeholders, launches a free program to establish preferred parking for alternative fuel vehicles (AFV). This program provides North Texas businesses with signage designating parking spaces as “AFV-Preferred” as a way to incentivize individuals to drive alternative fuel vehicles and help improve regional air quality. The parking signs are the first phase in the NTC’s work to promote AFVs in North Texas.
“Texas is second only to California for number of alternative fuel vehicles on the roads. The AFV-Preferred Parking Program not only rewards those drivers, but also raises awareness of these vehicles and their ability to improve North Texas’ air quality,” said Robert Kent, Director of Public Policy for the North Texas Commission.
The North Texas Commission is offering hundreds of “AFV-Preferred” parking signs to our region’s businesses at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, there are a limited number of sign stands available. Businesses can contact Robert Kent at the North Texas Commission at Robert@ntc-dfw.org or 972-621-0400. Businesses who wish to learn more about the parking program can attend one of the several “AFV-Preferred Parking Workshops” that the NTC will be hosting at various events across the North Texas region this spring. These events include:
- April 26, 1:00 p.m., Earth Day Texas (Fair Park)
- April 27, 1:00 p.m., Earth Day Texas (Fair Park)
As part of phase two of the program, NTC is building an interactive website (www.NTxGreenParking.com) that will provide users with the location of all the AFV-Preferred parking spaces in the region. NTC is also developing a smartphone application for drivers of AFVs that will provide information on the locations of AFV re-fueling stations and preferred parking.
Both the AFV-Preferred Parking Program and the forthcoming app and website are made possible through a grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Department of Energy. The North Texas Commission was awarded the $99,000 grant in late 2013.
Established in 1971, the North Texas Commission is a regional non-profit consortium of businesses, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, economic development entities and higher education institutions in the North Texas Region. The North Texas Commission improves the economic vitality, infrastructure and lifestyle of North Texas by marketing the region, promoting collaboration and advocating on critical issues.
Source: North Texas Commission
