ohio’s clean diesel school bus retrofit grant program
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Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Retrofit Grant Program. Winner of a 2008 Leadership Award from the. Why retrofit school buses?. Reduce children’s exposure to diesel exhaust from school buses Reduce the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses. Diesel Exhaust and Health. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Retrofit Grant Program
Winner of a 2008 Leadership Award from the
Why retrofit school buses?
Reduce children’s exposure to diesel exhaust from school buses
Reduce the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses
Diesel Exhaust and Health
Diesel exhaust contains small particles known as fine particulate matter.
Fine particles can lodge in the lungs and aggravate conditions such as asthma and bronchitis
US EPA has determined that diesel exhaust is a likely human carcinogen.
Diesel Exhaust and Children
Children are more susceptible to air pollution than adults because their respiratory systems are still developing, and they breathe at a faster rate
See US EPA fact sheet www.epa.gov/otaq/schoolbus/human health.htm
Information on Health Effects
U.S. EPA’s Health Assessment Document for Diesel Exhaust http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=29060
Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study http://eh.uc.edu/ccaaps/
Why School Buses?
1.3 million Ohio children ride school buses
Children’s school bus commute potentially exposes them to significantly higher concentrations of pollutants than what is measured in the community’s outdoor air.
Why School Buses?
Statistics show that school buses are the safest way to transport children.
Ohio EPA wants to help ensure that school buses are also the cleanest way to transport children
Program Goals
Retrofit existing school buses with devices and/or cleaner fuels that reduce pollution
Reduce school bus idling Provide assistance funding to Ohio
school districts for successful approaches to reducing bus pollution
Please note:
This is a voluntary program.
Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Fund
Amount available for grants in 2009: $895,320 ($600,000 in state funds, nearly $300,000 in federal funds)
School districts may apply for up to $100,000, and receive more than one grant.
Funded from polluter penalties collected by Ohio EPA enforcement efforts, and US EPA grant
Results so far…
In the first two years of the program, Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Fund provided $2 million to retrofit 767 school buses, and removed more than 11 tons of pollutants from the air.
37 school districts received grants
Who May Receive Grants?
Ohio School Districts Applications will be accepted from school
districts that propose to sub-contract with commercial school bus companies that provide their student transportation service, to retrofit buses owned by those companies. Retrofitted buses must be maintained in the fleet for 3 years.
Grant Application Deadlines
March 2, 2009 September 1, 2009* March 1, 2010* *if the Ohio General Assembly approves
continuation of the program
Grant Sizes
$5,000 - $100,000 Applicants are free to select less
expensive catalysts for more buses, or more expensive filters for fewer buses. Applications will be considered based on overall reductions achieved.
Priority Grant Recipients
School districts located in counties designated by US EPA as non-attainment for fine particulate national ambient air quality standards
School districts that employ additional measures that reduce air pollution from the district’s school bus fleet.
Cite: Health Effects of Fine Particles, Dr. Bart Ostro, October 2003
Grant Requirements School districts must provide at least a
5% match, either in-kind or from other funding sources. Matches that fund additional retrofits are encouraged.
Installations/retrofits must be completed within one year. (Time extensions may be approved for good cause.)
Buses Eligible for Retrofits
Diesel-powered Gross vehicle rating of 19,500 pounds
or more (Types C & D) Driven not less than 5,000 miles per
year Model year 1994-2006 only
Technology Options
US EPA Verified Technologies http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/ verif-list.htm
California Air Resources Board Verified Technologies http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/verdev/ vt/cvt.htm
Technology Options
Ohio EPA will only fund equipment (specific make and model) on the USEPA or CARB verified technology lists. Ohio EPA is not able to verify other technologies.
Ohio EPA will consider proposals to fund the equipment needed to clean filters and other verified air pollution control equipment.
Fuel Options
Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) is required for some filter technologies. It is now the universally available diesel fuel since October 2006.
Biodiesel if compatible with equipment Emulsified Diesel if compatible with
equipment
Finding Vendors
See US EPA’s list of verified technologies at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/verif-list.htm
See US EPA’s list of retrofit contacts at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/contacts.htm
Unified Bid Opportunity Ohio Department of Administrative Services has
posted a state contract # OT901708 for installed retrofit equipment that school districts may access through June, 2009. (It is optional, not mandatory to use these vendors).
Online at http://procure.ohio.gov/proc/viewContractsAwards.asp?contractID=8697
Ohio EPA will ask ODAS to seek bids for another state term contract for vendors for July 2009-June 2011.
Contact: Russell Perry 614-644-6743 [email protected]
Factors Ohio EPA will consider in awarding grants
Anticipated level of PM 2.5 emission reductions, particularly in-cabin reductions
Demonstrated pollution reduction efforts, such as anti-idling programs in place
Anticipated level of reduction of other air pollutants such as CO and HC
Number of miles traveled and students transported on the affected buses
Factors Ohio EPA will consider in awarding grants
The applicant’s ability to carry out the proposed retrofits and maintain the equipment
Strength of match provided by applicant Air quality (Level of non-attainment) Geographic balance of grants awarded
across Ohio
Grant Application
Online at www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/html/schoolbus.html
Other Funding $ources
US EPA Clean School Bus Grants www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/
Ohio Department of Development’s Diesel Emission Reduction Grants www.odod.state.oh.us/diesel%2Demissions/
List of additional grant sources www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/funding.htm
For more information www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/ On diesel bus retrofitting and air quality
standards, John Paulian, Division of Air Pollution Control, 614-644-4832
On the grant program, Bruce Coleman, Office of Environmental Education, [email protected] or 614-644-2873