E.P.A. Funds Cleaner School Buses with Diesel Rebates in Idaho, Oregon and Washington

(Seattle - December 11, 2015) The E.P.A. today announced $115,000 in rebates to retrofit older diesel school buses at the Shelley School District in Idaho, North Wasco Co. 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 plan 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 in excess of 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 in excess of $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 3rd round of the rebate plan aimed at replacing older diesel school buses. Schools replacing buses with engine model years of 2006 and older gain rebates from $15,000 to $25,000, depending on the size of the bus.

Since 2008, the DERA plan has funded in excess of 650 clean diesel plans across the country, reducing emissions in in excess of 60,000 engines. While E.P.A. has implemented requirements to make newer diesel engines in excess of 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 plan at: http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-rebates.

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