SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has approved nearly $200 million from its Lower-Emission School Bus Program to replace the 74 oldest school buses still circulating in the state, and to replace or retrofit 4,500 heavily-polluting school buses.

The funds will be distributed among local air districts as follows:

• South Coast: $70 million

• Ventura: $5 million

• San Diego: $5.6 million

• Monterey: $7 million

• Bay Area: $ 8.4 million

• Sacramento: $9 million

• San Joaquin Valley: $39 million

• Other: $47 million
  The ARB Lower-Emission School Bus Program will cover the cost to replace all 74 pre-1977 buses and approximately 1,000 buses from 1977 to 1986. The cost of about 3,500 retrofits will also be paid under the program.

  For more information, visit www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/schoolbus/schoolbus.htm.