ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The EPA has awarded a $274,455 grant to the Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency through its Clean School Bus USA program.
The North Carolina agency will use the funds to help school districts in the Buncombe, Haywood, Madison and Transylvania counties reduce the amount of pollutants emitted by their diesel-fueled school buses.
A diesel oxidation catalyst will be installed in 184 school buses in Buncombe County Schools' fleet, 63 buses in Haywood County Schools' fleet, 37 buses in Madison County Schools' fleet and 37 buses in Transylvania County Schools' fleet.
The installation of the device will mark the first stage of a long-term plan to retrofit all of the school buses within the four counties.