News Releases from Region 07

EPA Rebates Will Fund Cleaner Buses in Four Missouri School Districts

Environmental News

(Lenexa, Kan., Jan. 9, 2017) - Four Missouri school districts will share $160,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to replace or retrofit eight older diesel school buses, specifically: Jamestown C-1 Schools in Jamestown, $55,000 for three buses; Louisiana RII Schools, $25,000 for one bus; Sullivan School District, $40,000 for two buses; and Wheaton RIII Schools, $40,000 for two buses.

Nationally, EPA announced awards of more than $7.7 million to replace or retrofit 401 older diesel school buses. The funds are going to 88 school bus fleets in 27 states, each of which will receive rebates through EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding. The new and retrofitted buses will reduce pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma and lung damage.

“Thanks to DERA funding, we are protecting our children from breathing diesel emissions as they travel to school,” said Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality. “Nearly 17,000 of our country's schools are located within steps of a heavily traveled road, potentially exposing more than 6 million children to traffic-related pollution at a time when their developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution.”

Recipients replacing buses with engine model years of 2006 and older will receive rebates between $15,000 and $25,000, depending on the size of the bus. Recipients also had the option of retrofitting school buses with engine model years between 1994 to 2006 with a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst plus Closed Crankcase Ventilation system (DOC plus CCV) to reduce toxic emissions. EPA will fully fund the cost of these devices up to $4,000.

EPA has implemented standards to make newer diesel engines more than 90 percent cleaner, but many older diesel school buses are still operating. These older diesel engines emit large amounts of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage, and other serious health problems.

Since 2008, the DERA program has funded more than 700 clean diesel projects across the country, reducing emissions in more than 70,000 engines.

For more information about this rebate program and the entire list of recipients, visit EPA’s Clean Diesel Rebates page.

NOTICE TO EDITORS: Contact the school districts directly regarding their DERA proposals.

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