School districts in Kansas that own their school bus fleets can now apply for early school bus replacement grants to reduce diesel emissions through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Clean Diesel Program. The application deadline is April 17.
Any district in the state is eligible to apply for up to $36,000 toward a school bus replacement in their fleet. Once a district is chosen for an award under this request for proposal, it must first fund the entire project and then present verification of delivery and acceptance of the new bus before being reimbursed with grant money.
Under the grant’s conditions, one old medium- or heavy-duty diesel school bus with a minimum gross vehicle weight rating of 16,001 pounds must be replaced with a similar bus that meets the 2010 EPA emission standards. Districts cannot use the money to expand their fleets.
The KDHE anticipates offering one school bus replacement grant to a public school district in each of the department’s six districts, totaling six new school bus grants. Awards will be based on the KDHE’s criteria and will be given to the eligible school district that scores the highest in its KDHE district.
To be eligible for the reimbursement grant, school districts must start and “substantially” complete their bus replacement between May 15 and Sept. 15.
