INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has released over $3 million in its first round of Volkswagen (VW) settlement funds for new school buses.

The plan for the awards is part of the state’s total $40.9 million VW funds to support clean air projects that aim to reduce Indiana’s diesel emissions, according to a news release from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. A total of 179 vehicles and equipment, including 82 new school buses, will be funded in 23 counties, according to the agency.

"The committee worked together deliberately in evaluating and scoring each project," said Beverly Gard, chair of the committee. "We want to ensure that these funds will be used for transformative projects and achieve our goal of improving Indiana's air quality."

The funds were approved in four groups: electric school buses, non-electric school buses, nonroad vehicles, and onroad vehicles. Four school districts in Bartholomew, Monroe, Carroll, and Hamilton counties were granted a total of $1.26 million to support the purchase of one all-electric school bus. Meanwhile, 12 school districts in Elkhart, Dekalb, Lake, Marion, Clark, Johnson, LaPorte, Howard, and LaGrange counties, received a total of $1.99 million for the purchase of 18 diesel school buses and 60 propane buses. (See a list of the applications awarded here.)

“The committee’s first round of funding is a big step toward reducing diesel emissions in Indiana,” said Bruno Pigott, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Mitigation and committee member. “These awards are going to improve the air quality for Hoosiers across the state.”

For more information about the Indiana Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Program, go here.