Celebrating Love the Bus Month: EPA Drives Forward with Cleaner School Transportation
In a move that’s sure to have parents, educators, and environmentalists alike cheering, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is marking Love the Bus Month with a significant step towards greener school transportation. This February, as we show appreciation for school buses and their dedicated drivers, the EPA is putting its money where its mouth is – quite literally.
Oregon School Districts
Two Oregon school districts, Reynolds and Springfield, are each receiving a $100,000 grant to replace their aging diesel buses with state-of-the-art, low-emission vehicles. This isn’t just a cosmetic upgrade; these new buses are set to slash harmful emissions by a whopping 90 percent. To put that into perspective, we’re talking about preventing 14 tons of pollutants from contaminating our communities. That’s equivalent to the weight of two large elephants!
Dennis McLerran, the EPA’s Northwest Region Administrator, couldn’t be more thrilled about the impact this will have on student health. “Our children deserve to breathe clean, healthy air,” he stated. “With these new buses, we’re not just improving their daily commute; we’re investing in their future well-being.”
It’s no secret that poor air quality is particularly harmful to kids. Their developing bodies and outdoor-loving nature make them especially vulnerable to airborne pollutants. By upgrading these school buses, the EPA is taking a proactive stance in safeguarding our youngest citizens.
But why stop at just 10 buses?
The EPA has been on a mission to clean up diesel engines across the board, implementing standards that make modern diesel engines 90 percent cleaner than their predecessors. However, many school districts are still operating buses that predate these standards, unwittingly exposing students to high levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter – nasties linked to asthma, lung damage, and other serious health issues.
Enter the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). Since its inception in 2008, this program has been a game-changer, funding over 600 clean diesel projects nationwide and reducing emissions from more than 60,000 engines. Talk about a breath of fresh air!
The love doesn’t stop in Oregon, either.
Across the country, 76 lucky recipients will be getting rebates to replace a total of 210 diesel school buses. It’s all part of the EPA’s grand plan to revolutionize America’s school transportation system.
But wait, there’s more! The EPA’s commitment to cleaner school buses is gaining momentum. Recent announcements show the agency is thinking big:
- New York school districts are set to receive a staggering $69,620,000 from the Clean School Bus Program, thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- GreenPower Motor Company Inc., a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing, has announced that its all-electric school buses qualify for EPA rebates, opening up even more possibilities for eco-friendly student transport.
- Even New Jersey is getting in on the action, with two school districts receiving $2,500,000 in rebates to help transition to cleaner buses.
Conclusion
It’s clear that the EPA’s vision for a greener future extends far beyond Love the Bus Month. As DERA approaches its expiration date in 2016, one can’t help but wonder: what’s next in the journey towards cleaner, healthier school transportation?
For those eager to learn more about these initiatives, the EPA has made it easy to stay informed. Check out the list of 2014 School Bus Replacement Rebate recipients, or dive deeper into the West Coast Collaborative’s projects. You can also keep up with the latest news by following EPA Region 10 on Twitter and Facebook.
As we celebrate Love the Bus Month, it’s heartening to see concrete action being taken to ensure that the buses we love are loving us – and our environment – right back. Here’s to cleaner air, healthier kids, and a brighter, greener future for all!
http://epa.gov/cleandiesel/dera-rebate-schoolbus.htm#2014.
To learn more about the West Coast Collaborative and this year’s West Coast DERA school bus replacement projects, visit: http://www.westcoastcollaborative.org.
EPA Region 10: http://www.epa.gov/region10
Twitter! http://www.twitter.com/EPAnorthwest
Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/region10
