Winston-Salem, NC schools to retrofit 10 buses with $200,000 in EPA funding

North Carolina’s Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools received $200,000 in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding to retrofit 10 older diesel school buses and reduce their negative impact on local air quality.

Due to EPA retulations, newer diesel engines provide emissions reductions of more than 90 percent from the levels of older engines, but school districts across the country, limited by prohibitive costs and stretched budgets, are often still using buses driven by older engines. The DERA program offers rebates to offset the costs of replacing buses up to model year 2006 and, for the first time this year, for retrofitting buses from model years 1994 to 2006 with Diesel Oxidation Catalyst plus Closed Crankcase Ventilation systems.

Emissions from older diesel engines include carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which can negatively impact public health and have been linked to asthma and lung damage.

“Schools and other organizations that install clean diesel technology are doing more than just saving money — they’re creating cleaner, healthier air for children and all community residents,” EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality Director Christopher Grundler said. “This program continues to help thousands of children breathe easier and lead safer lives year after year.”