While five school districts in Missouri were awarded funds through the state Department of Natural Resources’ Clean Diesel Program to replace some aging school buses, the Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities and Partners received Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant funds to purchase 50 propane autogas school buses.
Clever R-V School District, Hannibal Public Schools, Joplin Schools, Ozark R-6 School District and West County R-IV School District, all in Missouri, will receive awards of up to 25 percent of the cost of a new school bus, with a maximum of $20,000 per recipient. The Clean Diesel Program in Pennsylvania aims to reduce diesel emissions to improve air quality in the interest of protecting public health and the environment.
Rich Stilley, business manager for the Hannibal School District, told the Hannibal Courier-Post this week that one of the district’s buses has emissions that are less than the 2011 EPA standards, making Hannibal eligible for funds.
Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Emission Reduction Act (DERA) State Clean Diesel Program. The grants are administered by the Department of Natural Resources’ Early School Bus Replacement Program.
Meanwhile, partners with the Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities were awarded $250,000 for new propane autogas school buses include G. Davis, Inc. in Shohola, which serves Pike, Luzerne and Wayne counties; North Pocono Bus Company, serving Lackawanna County; Norristown Area School District, serving Montgomery County; and Radnor Township School District, serving Delaware County. These funds are part of more than $3 million that Gov. Tom Corbett’s administration recently awarded in AFIG grants to 33 companies, counties and organizations that are converting to compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas or propane for medium to lightweight fleet vehicles.
In all, the awarded AFIG grants will help pay for the conversion or purchase of 351 natural gas vehicles and 337 propane vehicles weighing less than 14,000 pounds. An estimated 15 new fueling stations and 30 existing stations will be supported by these vehicles, according to the Corbett Administration.
AFIG grants are an annual solicitation, providing financial incentive for a variety of transportation projects with the result of reducing air emissions in Pennsylvania. This year, AFIG grants focused on medium to lightweight vehicles.
In addition, state officials announced a second round of Act 13 Natural Gas Vehicle grants, which presently is open. These grants provide an estimated $11 million to help pay for the incremental purchase and conversion costs of heavy-duty natural gas fleet vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds. The Rose Tree Media School District in May was the only school district to receive Natural Gas Vehicle Development Program grant funds to convert its school bus fleet to CNG.
