
				Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor

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To report
environmental
emergencies
only, call the
Illinois Emergency
Management Agency
800-782-7860
217-782-7860
(24 hrs/day)

Air Pollution Information

Illinois Clean School Bus Program

In Illinois, at least 70 percent of the 18,500 school buses in service today are powered by diesel fuel. Thousands of Illinois children ride these school buses, with many of the buses being equipped with diesel engines that lack advanced emission control technologies.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established new diesel engine and fuel standards to reduce emissions from trucks and buses. However, these standards do not become fully effective until 2006 and only apply to school buses being manufactured after that time. Many of Illinois' existing school buses will remain in service well beyond the effective dates of these new standards.

In preparing for the upcoming standards, major engine manufacturers and fuel providers are already marketing cleaner engines and fuels that meet the new standards. Retrofit equipment, to reduce emissions from existing school buses, is also now available. These efforts make it possible to reduce emissions from diesel-powered school buses.