Pennsylvania tire dealers and auto service centers can apply for a grant that reimburses a portion of the cost for inflation systems delivering at least 95-percent nitrogen. Eligible applicants may request up to $5,000 for units purchased and installed after July 1, 2008. A total of $100,000 is available for the grants in each of the next three years.
“Tires inflated with nitrogen can produce short- and long-term benefits through better fuel efficiency and improved tire wear,” says John Hanger, secretary of the Keystone State’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
“Over time, tires on all vehicles lose pressure. Tests show tires inflated with nitrogen maintain their pressure up to four times longer than tires inflated with air alone,” he notes. “Underinflation causes a decrease in fuel mileage due to more surface contact and friction which forces the engine to run harder and burn more fuel.”
Nitrogen inflation can also improve tire wear, according to Hanger. Nitrogen is an inert gas and is less reactive than oxygen with rubber inner liners and metal wheels. It also reduces a tire’s moisture content, which results in cooler operating temperatures. “That combination can improve a vehicle’s handling ability and reduce the possibility of blowouts.”
Hanger also points out that “all motorists should regularly check their vehicle’s tire pressure. Properly maintained pressure levels lead to better fuel mileage which also decreases our dependence upon foreign oil. Deployment of fuel-saving technologies provides opportunities to better manage our fuel and natural resources in a way that also improves our environment and enhances our quality of life.”
Applications need to be mailed by Aug. 28 to the Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, 15th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., P.O. Box 8772, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8772.
For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us
