U S Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has awarded a $94,876 grant to the American Lung Association for a project to cut diesel emissions from school buses in the Chicago metropolitan area.
EPA said the grant will be used to retrofit 43 buses in school districts in Green Oaks, Mundelein, Grayslake and Ingleside with equipment that will reduce diesel emissions.
The grant is part of EPA's Clean School Bus USA program. The goal of the program is to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air pollution created by diesel school buses.
Launched in April 2003, Clean School Bus USA brings together partners from business, education, transportation and public health organizations to eliminate unnecessary school bus idling, to retrofit buses and to replace the oldest buses with new, less polluting buses.
More information on Clean School Bus USA is at http://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus .