STATE NEWS — Got a cool idea about how to recycling, process, or use old tires? State environment official invite you to apply for a Tire Grant Program. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will accept applications beginning Monday, Jan. 17 for grants from the state’s Tire Environmental Act Program (TEAP).
Entities eligible to apply for TEAP grants include local governments, non-profits, higher education institutions, K-12 schools and for-profit entities. The deadline for submitting proposals is April 15. Further information on the program is available online at the TEAP website. Information about the TDEC grants management system is available here.
The grants are to fund projects that create or expand uses for waste tires. Such projects include tire recycling and processing, using materials such as aggregate that are derived from tires, initiating research and development in tire management, using tires for alternative fuels, or promoting innovation in infrastructure.
“It is important to divert waste tires from our landfills,” Greg Young, deputy commissioner for TDEC, said. “These grants provide financial assistance to those who want to join that effort. The program is a valuable tool to protect the environment, and we encourage Tennesseans to be involved.”
Tennessee produces approximately 6 million waste tires every year. The Tire Environmental Act Program has helped divert more than 3.6 million tires. The Tennessee General Assembly established the Tire Environmental Fund in 2015. Since then, grantees have been awarded almost $4.5 million.
The fund is built through a flat fee assessed to the sale of new motor vehicles in Tennessee based on the number of wheels of the vehicle. The fee is $5 for a vehicle with four or fewer wheels, $10 for vehicles with more than four but fewer than 11 wheels, and $15 for vehicles with 11 or more wheels.
These are reimbursement grants, meaning an applicant will need to have start-up capital. The minimum grant request is $10,000, and the maximum grant request is $1 million, with varying levels of matching funds required. Applicants must demonstrate how their project will improve or enhance beneficial end uses for scrap tires. •
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