AUSTIN, Texas -- The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) in partnership with Travis County Parks and the local Central Texas Clean Cities, the Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance (LSCFA), hosted Propane in the Park on Wednesday, May 4 at Southeast Metropolitan Park in Del Valle, Texas. The community event was held in an effort to educate park officials as well as commercial landscapers on going green with cleaner-burning propane.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment. Parks and landscapers don’t have to worry about this with propane, because it does not contaminate groundwater or soil and additionally propane has a closed loop refueling system.
Also, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) found that an hour of gasoline-powered lawn mowing produces as much pollution as four hours of driving a car. Propane commercial mowers produce 40 percent less carbon monoxide and at a minimum 15 percent less greenhouse emissions. Additionally, because of its lower emitting technology, you can mow with propane on Ozone Action Days.
“There are over 150 propane commercial mower models available from major mower manufacturers as well as aftermarket options on everything from commercial walk-behinds to zero-turns, so the options are there,” says Jackie Mason, education & marketing director for the Propane Council of Texas.
One way parks and commercial landscapers can upgrade to cleaner-burning propane is through an incentive through the Propane Council of Texas. Since 2010, the Council has helped 100’s of commercial landscapers, colleges, school districts and city parks departments make the switch with its mower incentive program. The mower incentive program provides $1,000 per mower, up to $7,000 per entity.
To learn more about the propane mower incentive program, visit www.procot.org.