Baldwin wins EPA emissions grant

Baldwin Environmental Inc., a Reno manufacturer of monitoring equipment for industrial applications,was chosen from a pool of 363 applicants for funding from the Small Business Innovation Research contracts program, says Laura Gentile, spokeswoman for the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.

The $70,000 grant is earmarked to develop a new monitor to measure particulate matter - dust from refineries, incinerators and cement plants, says Gentile.

The grant will fund phase one, a feasibility study, says Ken Ward, director of sales and marketing.

Phases two and three, if funded, would cover development and commercial application.

Major new initiatives to reduce emissions mandated by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency keep raising the bar for companies to filter particulates from the air, says Ward.

Staying on top of new EPA regulations is the greatest challenge Baldwin Environmental deals with as well, he says, adding,"The regulations vary by administration, and by public concern over mercury regulation." Baldwin sells to customers worldwide,with 10 percent of its business done in California, says Ward.Nevada Power is Baldwin's main customer here.

Competitors are worldwide as well.

To compete, says Ward,"We position ourselves at the high end of the market,with leading technology." Customers are willing to pay the price, he says, for if monitoring equipment breaks down, a company can be heavily fined by the EPA.

Baldwin Environmental, which employs 20 at its Reno facility,was founded here in 1992 by Tom Baldwin.