As the Drive a Clean Machine clean air program finishes its third month of full-scale operation, officials announced approximately $29 million in state funds remains available for vouchers and all areas participating in the program continue to accept applications.

"The Drive a Clean Machine program has proven extremely popular and successful," said Bobby Wierzowiecki, who administers the program for the TCEQ. "Program administrators have handled tens of thousands of telephone calls since the official program kick-off in January. Thousands of vouchers have been issued, resulting in removing thousands of the dirtiest, most-polluting cars from Texas roads. There is still money available for people to take advantage of the program."

Noting that initially some people had trouble getting through to program administrators because of jammed phone lines, Wierzowiecki said more people have been hired and more phone lines added to aid in processing applications. "The program is moving fast, and we're evaluating ways to minimize any disruption in the application process."

The Drive a Clean Machine program provides qualifying owners of older, high-polluting vehicles with vouchers worth up to $3,500 toward the purchase of qualifying new, cleaner-running vehicles. Clean air is a major source of concern for all Texans, and mobile emissions produced by old cars are the primary source of NOx (the pollutant we must reduce to meet federal ozone standards) in our state's non-attainment areas.

To qualify for the program, an applicant's vehicle must be 10 years old or older, or have failed a state emissions tests.

To qualify, vehicles must be registered in one of the 16 counties in nonattainment or near-nonattainment for federal ozone standards.

The Drive a Clean Machine program will provide the following incentives to qualifying families willing to purchase a new vehicle:

• $3,000 for a car, current model year or up to three model years old.
• $3,000 for a truck, current model year or up to two model years old.
• $3,500 for a hybrid vehicle, current or previous model year.

To qualify, a household must make less than 300% of the federal poverty level. For example, a family of four with an annual net income up to $63,600 would meet the income guidelines.

Vehicles that are turned in under the program will have their engines and emissions systems destroyed, so the cars cannot be sold or returned to the road to pollute Texas air.

The program will be administered by the North Central Texas Council of Governments in the Dallas-Fort Worth area; the Houston-Galveston Area Council in the Houston area; and Williamson and Travis counties in the Austin area. Those interested in using the program will apply for vouchers through these organizations, and qualified applicants will be awarded vouchers from these organizations.

Vehicles must be on a list of qualifying vehicles and cost less than $25,000. They must weigh less than 10,000 lbs, be at least 10 years old and/or have failed an emissions test. The vehicles must be purchased at participating car dealers. For a list of dealers, and for other qualifications and for more information go to www.driveacleanmachine.org or call 800-913-3321, or contact the administrating organization for your county.

The 16 counties in nonattainment or near-nonattainment for federal ozone standards are Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and Tarrant counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area; Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties in the Houston area; and Travis and Williamson counties in the Austin area.