$92 Million Available for Propane Vehicles, Off-Road Equipment & Refueling Infrastructure in Texas

Free Grant Writing Available

The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) is accepting applications for its Rebate Grants Program for a LIMITED TIME. Approximately $92 million is available to upgrade or replace on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles and select non-road diesel equipment in Texas nonattainment areas and affected counties.

Some funds are earmarked where replacement is not required, and no destruction is necessary. Deadline July 29, 2024

Eligibility:

• Individuals, state and local governments, corporations, and other legal entities authorized to conduct business in Texas are invited to participate.

Download eligible counties map

Grant Awards:

• Grant recipients may receive up to 80% of eligible costs for purchasing, leasing, replacing, or repowering eligible equipment.
• The grant amount should not exceed the maximum eligible grant amount listed in the tables.

Eligible Projects:

• Purchase or lease of new, near-zero, or zero-emission on-road heavy-duty vehicles or non-road equipment. REPLACEMENT IS AN OPTION BUT NOT REQUIRED. $20 million is earmarked where replacement is not needed.

• Replacement or repower of on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles and select non-road diesel equipment.

• Applicants eligible for replacement, repower, or new purchase projects can also seek additional funding for refueling infrastructure to support alternatively fueled vehicles or equipment.

Application Deadline:

• Submit grant applications by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 29, 2024, or until all available funds are awarded.

Resources:

• Application forms, program requirements, and maximum eligible grant amount tables are available on the Rebate webpage.
• FREE complimentary grant-writing from the American Energy Institute is funded and supported by the Propane Council of Texas.

Grant Writing Help or Questions?:

• Contact Heather Ball at 512-484-8535 or heather@americanenergyinstitute.com.

$1.3 Billion for Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program

The Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of $1.3 billion through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program to strategically deploy alternative fueling infrastructure projects (including propane) in urban and rural communities in publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities.

Additionally, more than $520 million is reserved for some unselected first-round applicants who may now be reconsidered for the current round of funding. FHWA will contact unselected round 1 applicants but please feel free to pass this information along to any entities that applied last year.

Eligible applicants include states, local governments, special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function, including port authorities, Indian tribes, and U.S. Territories.

Texas Alternative Fuel Corridors

I-820: For the entire loop

US-75: From Dallas, TX to the TX/OK border

I-10: From Houston to San Antonio

I-20: From Longview to Fort Worth

I-35: From southern intersection of I-35E/I-35W to San Antonio

I-35E: Entire length of corridor from Denton (northern end) to southern intersection w/I-35/I-35W

I-35W: Entire length of corridor from Denton (northern end) to southern intersection w/I-35/I-35E

I-69: From Rosenberg to Kingwood

SR-Beltway 8: Entire length of highway

I-10: Between Houston and Ingram

I-10: Between Socorro and the TX/NM border

I-20: Between TX/LA border and Monahans

I-30: Between TX/AR border and Fort Worth

I-35: Between Natalia and the I-35/I-35E/I-35W southern interchange in Hillsboro

I-35: Between the I-35/I-35E/I-35W northern interchange in Denton and TX/OK border

I-40: Between TX/NM border and TX/OK border

I-45: Between Hutchins and League City

I-635: Between the I-635/SR-121 in Grapevine and the I-635/I-20 interchange in Balch Springs

How can you apply for the grant? Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. When are grant applications due? Grant applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on August 28, 2024

NPGA has compiled a list of every federally designated Autogas refueling corridor in each state, an FAQ on the program, and letter to send to local and state government entities on NPGA’s member dashboard under the Propane Buses tab.

Questions? Contact NPGA Director of Regulatory Affairs Kate Gaziano at kgaziano@npga.org or Heather Ball with the American Energy Institute at 512-484-8535 or heather@americanenergyinstitute.com.

June 18, 2024, Houston-Galveston Clean Cities Meeting with School Buses

The Houston-Galveston (H-GAC) Clean Cities Coalition will hold a meeting for stakeholders in person and online. There will be a ride and drive event after the Stakeholder Meeting focusing on school buses. Cy-Fair has a large fleet of propane school buses as well as some diesel and electric buses.

When: Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Where: Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

Jarvis Transportation Center

13330 Woods-Spillane Blvd

Cypress, TX 77429

This is a good opportunity for anyone operating in the following counties: Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller, as well as the cities of Houston and Galveston so you can learn more about Clean Cities, engage with fleets, hear a propane school bus success story, and learn about statewide grants.

The Texas Propane Gas Association represents the propane industry, comprised primarily of small businesses. Over the past 25 years, small businesses have generated two-thirds of new jobs and continue to be the backbone of our economy. With adequate support, they could drive record job creation.

To make this vision a reality, Congress should focus on two key areas: preventing a looming tax increase and reducing excessive regulation. By doing so, Main Street can combat inflation, create jobs, and lead America’s economic recovery.

Permanently Cut Small Business Taxes. An important measure Congress can take is to make tax cuts for small businesses permanent. The small-business deduction, a cornerstone of the 2017 tax cuts, is set to expire next year. If allowed to lapse, small businesses will face an unprecedented tax hike.

Making this deduction permanent through the bipartisan Main Street Tax Certainty Act would enable 90% of local businesses to invest more in their employees and communities. The economic impact would be immediate and substantial.

Eliminate Burdensome Reporting Requirements. Another vital step is to repeal the “beneficial ownership” reporting mandate, which unfairly targets the smallest businesses. Enforced since January 2021, this rule requires over 32 million small businesses to submit private information about their owners to a federal database, with severe penalties for non-compliance.

Shockingly, 83% of small businesses are unaware of this requirement, putting them at risk of harsh penalties. Congress should pass the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act to eliminate this unnecessary burden, allowing small businesses to focus on growth rather than red tape.

The passage of permanent small business deduction and repeal of the beneficial ownership mandate would be extremely beneficial for the business community. TPGA and NPGA will continue to monitor the progress of bringing these to fruition.

Based on article by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

Come join us in Allen, TX (just north of Downtown Dallas) for the 2024 Crossroads Propane Expo & Conference.

The clock is ticking. For one, the early bird deadline is ending soon.

And two, there is limited space in technical and technology training workshops. Sign up before it's too late!

Top Reasons to Attend

1. Earn CEUs from the Railroad Commission with TPGA's handcrafted Regulatory, Safety & Compliance Class for Managers and safety personnel.

2. Get technical training on creative pipe sizing, cathodic protection, and more.

3. Attend workshops to learn the latest in propane and technology from large generation to truck tech.

4. Golf for a cause with our tournament benefiting the scholarship foundation.

5. Let the World Champion of Country Dancing guide you during our Texas Two Step Dinner, Dance, and Casino Party.

6. Visit over 75+ vendors and find the latest propane products and services. Shop around and compare pricing.

7. Visit our Regulatory Pavilion on the expo floor for expert compliance advice from state and federal agencies and organizations.

8. Learn about the many millions of dollars available for propane autogas vehicles by visiting with the TCEQ and the American Energy Institute.

9. Shop for a cause: Silent auction with eye-popping items and our Kendra Scott Trunk Show.

10. See old friends, make new ones, and learn from your peers in the industry.

Register by the end of this month to get the discount.

Review Job Candidates,

Post a Job or Participate in an Outreach Session. It's FREE.

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