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Clean School Bus USA: Region 3
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EPA Region 3 Clean School Bus USA Announces Grant Awards
The District Department of the Environment
EPA's Region 3 Clean School Bus USA program has awarded a $224,540 grant to the District Department of the Environment, to help retrofit twenty-two District of Columbia school buses with diesel emission controls. The DC schools plan to use PM filters on their buses that transport nearly 4,000 students annually throughout the Metropolitan Washington area. In accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the DC public school system only provides transportation services to eligible students with disabilities including respiratory problems, which poses an even greater risk to breathing in diesel emissions.
Press Release 4-29-08: EPA grant for DC public school buses to reduce diesel exhaust pollution.
Baltimore City Public Schools
On March 5, 2008 EPA's Region 3 Clean School Bus program awarded $68,600 to the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPS) to clean-up their existing school bus fleet. The grant was awarded as part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program under the National Clean Diesel Campaign and will fund nineteen school bus diesel retrofits. The installation of EPA-verified pollution control technologies-diesel particulate filters, diesel oxidation catalysts, and an engine software upgrade known as "reflash", will help reduce the pollutants in the diesel exhaust stream and provide a cleaner ride for the children riding the buses and provide healthy air for the citizens living in the Baltimore metropolitan region.
Hampton Roads Clean Cities
On March 4, 2008 EPA's Region 3 Clean School Bus program awarded $143,068 to the Hampton Roads Clean Cities Corporation to reduce diesel school bus emissions from several schools throughout Virginia's Middle Peninsula. The grant will improve the air quality for the student population of four public schools including King and Queen County Public Schools, Mathews County Public Schools, Middlesex County Public Schools, and Gloucester County Public Schools. The lengthened ride time for students, rural nature, and elongated geography of these county-sized school districts make them prime candidates for school bus upgrades. The grant was awarded as part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program under the National Clean Diesel Campaign and will fund projects that reduce diesel emissions by : installing diesel oxidation catalysts on 100 school buses, using biodiesel fuel in 198 buses, and replacing an old diesel bus with a new cleaner burning alternative fuel propone bus.
Press Release 4-11-08: EPA grant helps Virginia Middle Peninsula schools reduce diesel exhaust pollution.
The School District of Philadelphia
On March 21, 2008 EPA Region 3's Clean School Bus USA program awarded $253,492 to help Philadelphia School District reduce hazardous diesel emissions and improve the air quality for its student population of nearly 38,000. The grant will fund the installation of EPA verified emission control technologies on 140 diesel school buses. The technologies including diesel oxidation catalysts and closed crankcase ventilation systems will reduce tailpipe and crankcase emissions of particulate matter by up to 30%, carbon monoxide by up to 50%, and hydrocarbons up to 74%. Together, the combination use of these technologies will provide a cleaner ride for students both inside and out.
Putting Tomorrow's Cleaner Buses on the Road Today
Clean School Bus USA is a public-private environmental partnership that seeks to reduce children's exposure to air pollution from diesel school buses. The program emphasizes three ways to reduce public school bus emissions through anti-idling strategies, engine retrofit and clean fuels as well as bus replacement. The goal of Clean School Bus USA is to reduce both children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses.
EPA Region 3's Clean School Bus Pledge
"Region 3 will continue to identify voluntary actions which schools and school districts, cities, states, and local governments, communities and business leaders might take to help reduce the health and environmental risks associated with diesel exhaust from school buses. The region continues to work with these organizations to implement any possible voluntary activities including purchasing clean fuels, clean technology options, clean engines, pollution prevention, and green purchasing. Additionally, the region's active Tools for Schools Program includes information on diesel retrofitting and anti-idling in its outreach efforts. Articles containing important information on the health risks associated with diesel engine idling will continue to published in school organizational newsletters."
Region 3 Clean School Bus Leaders
Some Mid-Atlantic states and communities are working closely with school transportation associations and school districts to adopt better bus idling practices, retrofit buses with modern emission control technology, use cleaner fuels, and replace older school buses. Specific efforts in Region 3 include:
- 2006 Clean School Bus USA Grant Recipients:
- 2005 Clean School Bus USA Grant Recipients
- 2004 Clean School Bus USA Grant Recipients
- 2003 Clean School Bus USA Grant Recipients
- Other Region-wide Diesel Emission Reduction Projects
Contact Information
To find out more information about cleaning up today's school bus fleet, please contact, Paula Krall at (215) 814-2067 or krall.paula@epa.gov