Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Retrofit Grant Program

1. Ohio’s Clean Diesel School Bus Retrofit Grant Program Winner of a 2008 Leadership Award from the

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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/

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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

9. Please note: • This is a voluntary program.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. Grant Application Deadlines • March 2, 2009 • September 1, 2009* • March 1, 2010* *if the Ohio General Assembly approves continuation of the program

14. 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.

15. 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.

18. 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.)

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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 russell.perry@das.state.oh.us

25. 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

26. 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

27. Grant Application • Online at www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/html/schoolbus.html

28. 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

29. 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, oeef@epa.state.oh.us or 614-644-2873