Grant Money for Going Green
Posted by Karen Thomas on Fri, Feb 26, 2010 @ 05:46
Have you seen a green truck lately? Or even better- do you own/operate one? Green trucks are all the rage and we're not just talking cosmetics. Color palettes aside, green (with an environmentally friendly denotation) trucks are making a splash in the transportation industry and prompting state governments, including California, to encourage further development.
In California specifically, millions of dollars in grant money is up for grabs for qualifying trucks. The California Green-Truck grants are taking applications now and until March 12th of this year so you if you've got a green machine - you gotta' act fast.
In an article posted on FleetOwner.com it was reported that, "The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) of California has announced two separate vehicle replacement grant programs totaling more than $37 million. In addition to $16 million in state and federal funds to be spent on qualifying alternative fuel trucks, there is another $21.4 million available under the Proposition 1B Goods Movement Program, including $17.45 million for non-drayage trucks," (www.fleetowner.com.)
The available grant money is good news for drivers and owner-operators who work at sites such as the Port of Long Beach where campaigns like the Clean Trucks Program mandate that trucks comply with lowered emission levels. These lowered levels have been difficult to reach by many who can't afford to retrofit their trucks.
Meanwhile, just as applications are due for the California Green-Truck grants, the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) and World Truck Show will be kicking off its 46th annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri. The show starts on March 9 and includes a two-day intensive education program titled the Green Truck Summit. Under Secretary for Energy (of the Department of Energy) Dr. Kristina Johnson, will keynote the summit.
The NTEA represents nearly 1,600 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, bodies, equipment, trailers and accessories. Its two-day summit will showcase hybrid and other alternative fuel technologies, providing detailed feedback on their impact in both the trucking industry in addition to the environment.