Why Is EPA Helping Texas Schools Buy New Buses?

In the last several years the US Environmental Protection Agency has helped Texas school districts in the Dallas, Austin, and Houston areas buy or update over 2,500 school buses. Is this a case of federal spending run amok?

The answer is clean air. One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce air pollution is to retrofit or replace older diesel engines. One diesel engine can emit as much as 8 tons of pollution in a year. Retrofitting or replacing such engines costs a few thousand dollars but can cut harmful emissions by as much as 95%. Consequently, several years ago EPA started running programs across the nation to reduce diesel emissions including one which updates school buses.

A more interesting question is: How did we manage to get so much work done in Texas? A few months ago EPA’s senior managers were reviewing data regarding reducing pollution from diesel engines and we noticed something. In a string of states from Iowa down through Texas we were making tremendous progress. For instance, compared to 2005, diesel related projects and retrofits increased fourfold. And a big part of this improvement happened in Texas.

	2005	2006
# of diesel engines retrofitted nationally	2,966	10,640

There is one major reason we’re doing so well in Texas: partnership. EPA partnered with state and local governments to fund eight Clean School Bus USA pilot projects (these projects retrofitted 500 buses, completely replaced another thirty and switched 2,000 to cleaner fuels). But perhaps the best part of the story is that our efforts have helped to raise additional funds. This success led to Texas securing tens of millions of dollars for the Texas Emissions Reduction Program and more recently Texas funded its own “Texas State Clean School Bus Program.”

Funding for diesel-related projects in Texas now comes from a lot of sources. The Texas Emissions Reduction Program provides far more funding for diesel retrofits (and other clean air projects) than EPA provides. The combined resources along with strong interest at the local level are able to get a lot more work done faster than if EPA were operating alone.

EPA started a program to clean up old diesel buses. Texas enthusiastically embraced that program and started its own. Now, millions of dollars are being spent by a number of partners to reduce diesel exhaust. It’s not only a good example of how states and EPA work together to deliver cleaner air, but it shows how Federal resources can help grow a movement. And as others follow this example, that will mean cleaner air for anyone who shares the road with a school bus.