The Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) has supplied the first grant in a new USD1 million program to help companies upgrade forklifts to reduce nitrogen oxides.

Under the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), forklift owners receive an incentive to retire their old forklifts and replace them with new machines that meet emissions standards.

The TRC's first grant, for USD8,510, was presented to Sarabia's of El Paso, Texas, to go towards the purchase of a new, low-emission propane forklift.

"We're very pleased to have been able to streamline the process for forklift operators to help clean up Texas air," said TRC chairman Victor Carrillo. "Our program works for large and small operators, whether they have one forklift, like Sarabia's, or many more."

Commissioner Charles Matthews said the program's potential air quality benefits were substantial.

"About 70 to 80 per cent of Texas' estimated 36,000-45,000 propane forklifts operate in counties with air quality challenges," he said. "If just 15 per cent of these forklifts were fitted with new fuel systems, new engines, retired early or replaced with new propane forklifts, Texas could lower smog-forming emissions by a total of 7,000-12,000 tons."

To be eligible for the grants, awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, a forklift must operate in one of more than 40 Texas air-quality "non-attainment" or "near-non-attainment" counties.

See www.propane.tx.gov for more information.