7 districts receive funding for new buses, retrofits

DES MOINES, Iowa — Six school districts have been selected to receive up to $38,000 in reimbursement as a match for a new school bus to replace their oldest school bus still in regular use.

These six districts will also receive full reimbursement for retrofits to reduce diesel emissions on bus engines older than 2004 models in their fleets. Additionally, one other school district has been selected to receive full reimbursement for retrofits only.

Funding is provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) through the EPA's Clean Diesel Campaign. School Administrators of Iowa is handling administration of the grant on behalf of the DNR. The Bus Emissions Education Program has assisted with grant publicity and other roles. A total of $280,359 will be awarded.

Judging was based primarily on the strength of each school district's idling reduction policy, the age and use of the bus to be replaced, efforts each school district makes to reduce air pollution, and efforts made to teach programs and develop curriculum for air quality, mobile source pollution and its effect on the earth's atmosphere.

The EPA has determined that retrofits of diesel oxidation catalysts and closed crankcase ventilation systems together on pre-2004 school bus engines reduce particulates by 25 to 33 percent, hydrocarbons by 42 to 52 percent and carbon monoxide by 13 to 40 percent, depending upon the selected product and bus performance.

The school districts receiving the bus and retrofit funding are Albert City-Truesdale in Buena Vista County, East Union in Union County, North Iowa in Winnebago County, Rock Valley in Sioux County, West Harrison in Harrison County and Westwood in Woodbury County.

The district receiving retrofits-only funding is Sibley-Ocheyedan in Osceola County.