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Region 2 Releases School Bus Idling Study
With funding from a Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) grant, Region 2 and the EPA Office of Research and Development studied school bus exhaust emission levels during idling and restart scenarios. The analysis indicated that continuous idling for more then 3 minutes emitted more soot then at restart.
2006 Clean School Bus USA Projects Announced
On Friday, February 16, 2007 EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson announced the winners of the 2006 Northeast Diesel Collaborative Clean School Bus USA grant competition. Among the winners were four projects from Region 2 and one project that will upgrade school buses in communities throughout New England and New York State. Congratulations to all those who’s projects were selected for funding!
Elmira City School District (NY) - The Elmira City School District is partnering with the Elmira Heights School District to install diesel oxidation catalysts on 48 school buses.
Katonah-Lewisboro School District (NY) - The Katonah-Lewisboro School District will install diesel particulate filters on 45 school buses.
Erie County Clean School Bus Initiative (NY) - Erie County will work with six partner school districts to retrofit 128 school buses with pollution-reducing technologies and share the lessons learned with other school districts in the county.
NY State School Bus Retrofit Program - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will continue their successful Clean Air School Bus program by establishing a subgrant program to fund diesel retrofits on school buses throughout New York State.
Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) - ICLEI will retrofit school buses in Syracuse, NY, along with communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and will help offset the cost of switching to a blend of biodiesel fuel.
Region 2 Clean School Bus USA Partners
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: Stop the Soot 
Stop the Soot is New Jersey DEP’s initiative to reduce diesel particulate matter emissions during the next decade. As part of the initiative DEP will be implementing New Jersey’s Diesel Law requiring crankcase emission controls on all school buses in the state. DEP will also conduct a mandated school bus study to determine if tailpipe controls should also be required. This study is being funded through a grant from EPA.
New York Association for Pupil Transportation
– In the summer of 2003, EPA Region 2 signed the first memorandum of understanding (MOU) between EPA and a state transportation agency committing both organizations to cleaning school buses. The New York Association for Pupil Transportation and EPA Region 2 are officially partners and are committed to fulfilling the MOU which highlights efforts to reduce school bus idling, retrofit and repower school buses and replace the oldest buses in the state of New York. Both agencies are optimistic about the impacts that the MOU will have across the state.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) NYSERDA’s Clean Air School Bus program
seeks to maximize the environmental, energy, and economic benefits of introducing emission-reduction technology for New York State diesel-fueled school buses. Round I of the program awarded $5 million to 74 school districts to retrofit over 2,000 school buses.
New York Power Authority (NYPA) – NYPA partnered with the New York City Department of Education to outfit city school buses with emission reduction devices, while also introducing the use of cleaner burning diesel fuel ahead of its federally mandated date. The devices were installed on buses owned by independent fleet operators participating in the program. Installation efforts begun in early 2005 were completed in May 2006 on 1,426 full sized buses.
Puerto Rico Clean School Bus USA Workgroup– In October 2006 several government agencies, universities, non-profits, and school bus owner representatives convened a Clean School Bus USA workgroup in Puerto Rico. The workgroup continues to discuss ways to encourage reduced idling, alternative fuels, and school bus retrofits throughout the island.
