The Ohio EPA has awarded grants to eight school districts in the state to install pollution-control equipment on 75 buses and idle-reduction technology on 68 buses as part of Ohio EPA’s Clean Diesel School Bus Grant program.

A total of $277,885.53 was awarded to reduce children’s exposure to pollutants in diesel exhaust. Officials said the equipment is expected to eliminate 262.2 pounds of fine particle pollution, and more than 3 tons annually in carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.

The grant recipients are:

• Anna Local Schools in Shelby County. The district received $42,539 to install diesel oxidation catalysts and anti-idling equipment on seven buses, and anti-idling equipment on seven additional buses.
• Benton Carroll Salem School District in Ottawa County. The school system received $9,396 to install diesel oxidation catalysts on six buses.
• East Holmes Local Schools in Holmes County was awarded $55,669 to install diesel oxidation catalysts and anti-idling equipment on 11 buses, and anti-idling equipment on an additional six buses.
• Greenville City Schools in Darke County was awarded $63,653 to install diesel oxidation catalysts and anti-idling equipment on seven buses, diesel oxidation catalysts on six buses and anti-idling equipment on an additional 12 buses.
• Marion City School District in Marion County. The district received $31,305 to install diesel oxidation catalysts on 17 buses and anti-idling equipment on two buses.
• Rossford Exempted Village Schools in Wood County. The school system was awarded $10,962 to install diesel oxidation catalysts on seven buses.
• Sylvania City Schools in Lucas County received $54,648 to install diesel oxidation catalysts and anti-idling equipment on eight buses, and anti-idling equipment on an additional eight buses.
• Waverly City Schools in Pike County. The school district was awarded $9,714 to install diesel oxidation catalysts on six buses.

The Ohio EPA established the Clean Diesel School Bus Fund in 2006 to encourage school districts to install pollution controls on diesel-powered school buses, and to use cleaner fuel to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

More than $7.5 million has been awarded to install pollution-control equipment on 2,491 school buses statewide and idle-reduction equipment on 771 buses, removing more than 151 tons of pollutants from the air, officials said.

The next grant application deadline is March 1, 2013. Priority is given to applicants in areas that do not meet federal air quality standards for fine particulates, and to districts that employ additional measures, such as anti-idling programs, to reduce emissions from school bus fleets.

Applications can be found online here, and more information is available from the Office of Environmental Education at (614) 644-2873.