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EPA awards $154,848 grant to Canton Local School District for clean school bus project

Release Date: 01/23/2008
Contact Information: CONTACT: William Omohundro, 312-353-8254, [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 08-OPA008

EPA awards $154,848 grant to Canton Local School District for clean school bus project

CHICAGO (Jan. 23, 2008) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has awarded a $154,848 grant to the Canton Local School District, Canton, Ohio, for a project to cut diesel emissions from the district's school buses.

EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit 24 school buses with equipment that will reduce diesel emissions, and to help replace two 1988 school buses with new, low-emission 2007 model year buses.

"EPA is working with the Canton Local School District to upgrade and replace buses so students can breathe cleaner air, and live healthier lives," said Regional Administrator Mary A. Gade. "Breathing diesel exhaust is not good for anyone, especially children."

The grant is part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. The goal of the program is to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses. School buses are the safest way for children to get to school. However, pollution from diesel vehicles has health implications for everyone.

Launched in April 2003, Clean School Bus USA brings together partners from business, education, transportation and public health organizations to eliminate unnecessary school bus idling, retrofit buses and replace the oldest buses with new, less polluting buses. More information on Clean School Bus USA is at https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/.

The grant was provided under the Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative, a collaborative of government, industry and non-profit organizations to reduce diesel emissions in the Midwest. More information on the initiative is at https://www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel/.

Diesel emissions contain large amounts of nitrogen oxides and fine particles (soot). Nitrogen oxides are precursors of ozone (smog), which is a lung irritant, and fine particles can aggravate respiratory and heart diseases. Fine particles can also affect lung function and structure.