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Agricultural Businesses Receive Over $232,000 in TERP Rebates

Release Date: 03/28/2008
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – March 28, 2008) Agricultural businesses and small land owners throughout North Texas are benefiting in savings of over $232,000 to purchase cleaner, more efficient equipment through the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP).

TERP provides rebates and grants to help replace aging diesel engines, including older agricultural tractors and haul trucks that consume more fuel and generate more pollution than newer models. Curtis Caldwell from Ovilla received over $13,000 to replace an old tractor and the McKinney Grain Corporation saved $107,000 to replace a haul truck. Topping off the savings was the Diamond S. Land and Cattle Company with nearly $112,000 awarded to replace an aging haul truck.

"Profit margins for small agricultural businesses and land owners can be pretty small. TERP provides the means to help these businesses improve their bottom line while doing something positive for air quality,” said Leslie Rauscher, EPA Project Manager. “These three small businesses alone are helping to remove 23.3 tons of pollutants from the air.”

To date North Texas businesses have saved over $3.6 million while reducing nearly 376 tons of pollution. The $30 million allocated to the rebate grants under this funding cycle has been awarded, but there is still time to apply for grants. The application deadline is April 11, 2008. Individual application assistance is available at local TERP Community Help Desks. For information visit www.terpgrants.org or call
(800) 919-8377.

The TERP serves as a national model for replacing and retrofitting older diesel engines and is managed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports local efforts to encourage participation in TERP as a way to improve air quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio032808_terp6