News Releases from Region 10

EPA Funds Cleaner School Buses with Diesel Rebates in Idaho, Oregon and Washington

(Seattle - December 11, 2015) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced $115,000 in rebates to retrofit older diesel school buses at the Shelley School District in Idaho, North Wasco County School District in Oregon, and Moses Lake School District in Washington. The retrofitted buses will reduce pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter linked to aggravated asthma, lung damage, and other serious health problems.

"EPA's clean diesel program helps thousands of children breathe easier at a time when their developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution," said Jan Hastings, associate director of EPA's Office of Air, Waste and Toxics. "Schools that install clean diesel technology are doing more than just saving money - they're creating cleaner, healthier air for children and all community residents."

This year's clean diesel school bus rebate recipients in the Pacific Northwest are:

The rebates are among more than $7 million awarded nationwide to replace or retrofit 400 older diesel school buses through EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). This is EPA's third round of the rebate program aimed at replacing older diesel school buses. Schools replacing buses with engine model years of 2006 and older receive rebates from $15,000 to $25,000, depending on the size of the bus.

Since 2008, the DERA program has funded more than 650 clean diesel projects across the country, reducing emissions in more than 60,000 engines. While EPA has implemented standards to make newer diesel engines more than 90 percent cleaner, many older diesel school buses remain in operation and emit large amounts of pollutants.
Learn more about EPA's school bus rebate program at: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates.