In celebration of of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded a total of $320,000 to replace 16 older model diesel school buses in Georgia. The new buses will reduce pollutants that are linked to health problems such as asthma and lung damage, according to a press release.
"Earth Day’s primary goal is to protect the environment for future generations. These rebates help do just that by continuing to improve air quality across the country and providing children with a safe and healthy way to get to school," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “While many fleets are currently off the road, when these local school districts start up again, EPA and the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act have helped equip them with cleaner running buses, moving farther along the route to healthier kids and communities.”
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Nationally, EPA awarded $11.5 million to replace 580 older diesel school buses. The funds are going to 157 school bus fleets in 43 states and Puerto Rico, each of which will receive rebates through EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funding.
Georgia 2019 DERA school bus rebate recipients:
Fulton County Public Schools: $180,000 for nine buses
Forsyth County Public Schools: $120,000 for six buses
Dodge County Public Schools: $20,000 for one bus
Applicants replacing buses with engine model years 2006 and older will receive rebates between $15,000 and $20,000 per bus, depending on the size of the bus.
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 such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage and other serious health problems.
Since 2008, the DERA program has funded more than 1,000 clean diesel projects across the country, reducing emissions in more than 70,000 engines. A comprehensive list of the 2020 DERA school bus recipients can be found at www.epa.gov/dera/awarded-dera-rebates.
For more information about the DERA program, visit www.epa.gov/cleandiesel
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