TCEQ Funding available to retrofit school buses

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announced today that applications will now be accepted for funding to retrofit older school buses in order to reduce harmful air emissions. A total of about $1.7 million is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The funding for this grant round is available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Texas Clean School Bus program provides reimbursement to Texas school districts that install pollution-control devices on diesel school buses. These devices reduce particulate-matter emissions that can aggravate respiratory problems, asthma, and allergies in children who ride the buses.

Public school districts and charter schools located in air quality nonattainment and near nonattainment areas in Texas that operate one or more diesel-powered school buses, as well as transportation systems provided by countywide districts, are eligible to be reimbursed for costs of approved retrofits. The application deadline is April 30. Visit  www.texascleanschoolbus.org or call 512-239-3143 for application information.