EPA Sets New Diesel Emissions Reduction Act School Bus Rebates

May 23, 2019

Christmas arrived early for 145 school bus fleets in 43 states and territories that received new Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced several dozen awards on May 2, to provide over $9.3 million in rebates to replace older diesel-powered school buses nationwide.

School districts nationwide are receiving the rebate through the EPA’s DERA funding program. The new buses will reduce pollutants that are linked to health problems, especially asthma and lung damage.

“Children’s health is a top priority for EPA, and these grants will help provide cleaner air and a healthier ride to and from school for America’s children,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This DERA funding reflects our broader children’s health agenda and commitment to ensure all children can live, learn, and play in healthy and clean environments.”

“These rebates are an innovative way to reduce the impacts of diesel emissions with the early retirement of older dirtier school buses,” said EPA Acting Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. “DERA funding provides environmental and health benefits by eliminating exposure to diesel exhaust, and it does so in a cost-effective manner.”

EPA officials said that applicants who replace buses with engine model years of 2006 and older will receive rebates between $15,000 and $20,000, depending on the size of the bus. Regional, state, or tribal agencies, including school districts and municipalities, or private entities that operate school buses under contract with state, tribal or local agencies, were eligible to apply.

Over the last seven years, EPA has awarded approximately $39 million in rebates to replace almost 2,000 school buses. Bus replacements funded through the rebate program reduce emissions and exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides for children at schools, bus stops, and on the buses themselves.

School buses travel over four billion miles each year, providing the safest transportation to and from school for more than 25 million American children every day. However, exhaust from diesel buses can harm health, especially in children, who have a faster breathing rate than adults and whose lungs are not yet fully developed.

The 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, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage and other serious health problems.

The Cranston Rhode Island Public Schools Superintendent, Jeannine Nota-Masse, said it would, “like to express its appreciation to the EPA for its valued assistance. Due to the fact we own and operate our own school bus fleet, the awarded monies allow us to replace aging buses with new, more environmentally friendly buses. Furthermore, this money provides us more flexibility to support our educational programs for our students.”

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U.S. EPA Awards Announced May 2019

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Alabama — $600,000 Replace 30 older diesel buses

Huntsville School District $ 40,000 Retrofit 2 diesel buses
Alabama Madison School System $ 80,000 4 buses
Alabama Mobile County Board of Education $200,000 10 buses
Alabama Pike Road Board of Education $100,000 5 buses
Alabama St. Clair County Board of Education $200,000 10 buses
Alabama Winfield City Schools $ 20,000 1 bus

Arizona —

Arizona Crane Elementary SD13, Yuma Cnty $ 60,000 Replace 3, 1996-97 diesel

California — $185,000 Toward 10 buses at 4 fleets

Butteville Union Elementary SD $ 20,000 Replace 1, 1996 school bus
Oroville City Elementary SD $ 45,000 Replace 3, 2001 buses
Ventura Unified SD $ 20,000 Replace 1, 1991 bus
Ventura Transit System (Santa Paula USD) $100,000 Replace 5, 1991-2003 bus

Connecticut —

Glastonbury Board of Education $100,000 Replace 5 older buses

Delaware —

Providence Creek Academy $ 40,000 Replace older diesel buses
D&N Bus Service, Inc. $ 40,000 Replace older diesel buses (Milford School District, Sussex County)

Florida —

Broward County School Board $200,000 Replace diesel school buses

Georgia — $335,000 To Georgia school districts

Fulton County Schools $120,000 Replace 6 buses
Pierce County Board of Education $ 40,000 Replace 2 buses
Putnam County Charter School System $ 75,000 Replace 4 buses
Stephens County Board of Education $ 40,000 Replace 2 buses
Worth County Board of Education $ 60,000 Replace 3 buses

Hawaii —

Roberts Hawaii School Bus, Inc. $ 80,000 Replace 4 buses

Illinois — $940,000 Replace 48 old diesel buses

Community Consolidated SD15
First Student – Springfield, IL
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield CUSD #3
Prairie Central Community Unit SD #8
Rockford Public School District 205
Township High School District 211
Vienna High School #13-3
Vienna Public School District #55

Indiana — $175,000 Replace 9 older diesel buses

North Daviess Community Schools
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp.
School City of East Chicago

Kentucky —

Bell County Board of Education, Pineville $200,000 Replace 10 older diesels

Louisiana —

Ouachita Parish School System $320,000 Retrofit 16 diesel buses

Maine —

Maine School Admin. District #61 $ 40,000 Replace 2 buses Lake Region, Casco, Naples, Bridgton
MSAD 49; Albion, Benton, Clinton, Fairfield $ 40,000 Replace 2 school buses
MSAD 6 Bonny Eagle SD, Buxton, Hollis, Standish, Limington, Frye Island $ 20,000 Replace 2 older diesels

Michigan — $180,000 Replace 9 older diesels

Michigan IDA Public School
Michigan Summerfield School
Michigan Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools

Minnesota — $440,000 Replace 22 older diesels

Becker Independent School District 726
Haley Transportation of St Charles, Inc.
Kottkes’ Bus Service, Inc.
Pine River-Backus Schools ISD 2174
Voigt’s School Bus Service, Inc.

Mississippi —

Clinton Public School District $100,000 Replace 5 older diesels

Montana —

Kalispell, MT Treasure State Transit $ 80,000 Replace 4 school buses

New Jersey —

North Brunswick Township Board of Education $ 55,000 Replace 3 school buses
Toms River Regional Schools $200,000 Replace 10 school buses
Wall Township Board of Education $100,000 Replace 5 school buses
George Dapper, Inc., Iselin $200,000 Replace 10 school buses

New Mexico —

New Mexico RV Transportation, LLC. $ 20,000 Retrofit a diesel bus

New York —

Honeoye Central School District $ 20,000 Replace 1 school bus.

New York, N.J. & Puerto Rico — $725,000 Replace 39 buses, 6 sites

North Carolina —

Tasha’s Transit, LLC., Durham $ 20,000 Retrofit a diesel school bus

Ohio — $160,000 Replace 8 older diesels

Celina City Board of Education
Conneaut Area City Schools
Stark County Board of Devel. Disabilities

Oklahoma —

Stigler Public Schools $ 20,000 Retrofit 1 diesel bus

Pennsylvania — $180,000 Replace 10 older diesels

Groomes Transit, Inc. (Quest Transit) $ 20,000
Laurel School District, Lawrence County $ 40,000
Plum Borough School District, Allegheny Cnty $ 60,000
Pilgrim Transport Services, Inc. (Commodore Perry SD, Mercer County) $ 60,000

Puerto Rico —

Transporte Sonnell, LLC., Corozal $150,000 Replace 10 school buses

Rhode Island —

Cranston Public Schools $180,000 Replace 9 older buses

South Carolina — $140,000 Replace 7 old diesel buses

DOE Lexington SD 2 $ 80,000 4 buses
DOE Richland County SD 1 $200,000 10 buses

South Dakota —

Rapid City Area Schools 51-4 $200,000 Replace 19 school buses

Tennessee — $8.9 million 143 buses from 2009 or before will be replaced with 68 new diesel, 1 all-electric, 66 propane and 8 compressed natural gas school buses throughout Tenn.

Bledsoe County Schools, Lynch Bus Lines, LLC. (services Knox County Schools), Bradford Special School District, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Bristol Tennessee City Schools, Morgan County Board of Education, Campbell County School System , Obion County Schools, Carroll County Board of Education, Oneida Special School District, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Overton County Schools, Clay County Schools, Perry County Schools, Fentress County Board of Education, Putnam County Board of Education, Greene County Schools, Roane County Board of Education, Grundy County Department of Education, Robertson County Schools, Hancock County School System, Scott County School District, Hardeman County Board of Education, SCU Bus Lines (services Knox County Schools), Henderson County Board of Education, Sequatchie County Board of Education, Hickman County Board of Education, Sevier County Schools, Humphreys County Board of Education, Stewart County Board of Education, Jackson County Board of Education, Van Buren County Schools, JLL Transport, LLC. (services Knox County Schools), Warren County Schools, Johnson City Transit (services Johnson City Schools), Washington County Department of Education, KIPP Nashville, Weakley County Schools and Lake County Schools. Also, White County Board of Education, Sparta, $40,000 to help replace 2 old diesel buses.

Texas —