A Texas program to encourage users to replace older internal-combustion forklifts approved 108 grants totaling USD1.16 million during the fiscal year ended 31 August.
The Railroad Commission of Texas authorised incentives averaging USD10,703 per replacement to about 38 companies with operations in portions of the state yet to meet emission attainment requirements of the US Environment Protection Agency. The alternative fuel program's goal is to replace older diesel, gasoline and propane forklifts with newer propane- or natural gas-fueled equipment.
The Dallas-Fort Worth non-attainment region received 79 grants; Houston, 19; San Antonio, nine; and Austin, one.
The five largest forklift grants for the fiscal-2014 Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP) included publicly traded Boise Cascade Co of Boise, Idaho, which received two grants for replacements of older forklifts at its building materials distribution yard and warehouse in Dallas. The producer of engineered wood products, plywood, lumber and particleboard received a grant of USD22,990 for disposing of a Hyster H155XL2 in the process of acquiring a Hyster H155FT and a grant of USD20,200 for disposing of a Hyster 110XL2 en route to purchasing a Hyster H120FT.
A building products distributing subsidiary of Atlanta-based BlueLinx Holdings Inc received a grant of USD25,850 for disposing of a Hyster S100XL. The subsidiary acquired a Toyota 8FG45U forklift which it uses in BlueLinx's Houston distribution centre.
Breaux Machine Works LP of Tomball, Texas received a grant of USD23,780 for deactivating a Caterpillar V80D and acquiring a Clark C40. Breaux specialises in large-capacity precision machining.
Dallas Container Corp received a grant of USD20,440 in disposing of a Toyota 7FGCU25 and acquiring a Nissan by UniCarriers CF50LP. Family-owned Dallas Container manufactures corrugated boxes, die cuts, point-of-purchase displays and foam packaging in Dallas and has other operations in Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas.
Texas created TERP in 2001 to help reduce emissions of smog-producing pollutants in 39 counties in which air quality fell short of federal standards. Texas has 254 counties.
An owner must commit to destroying the old forklift or other equipment prior to receiving a propane initiative grant. The selling dealer drills a hole in the engine block, cuts the frame in a manner to make sure the chassis is never used again and produces a scrap receipt which the owner gives to TERP auditors.
Since payments began in 2004, the commission has awarded 3,218 grants to Texas forklift users representing approximately 891 companies in the non-attainment counties. The grants total more than USD38.3 million with an average amount paid of USD11,910.