The deal will help reduce nitrogen oxide and fine particles released into the air. Source: EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a grant to the National School Transportation Association (NTSA) to replace diesel school buses with all-electric buses and retrofit additional diesel buses with anti-idling technology in New York’s Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The EPA awarded a Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) to the New York counties in the form of $246,006 that will help to reduce about 11 tons of nitrogen oxides and about two tons of fine particles.
The EPA says the replacement and retrofit of diesel trucks will reduce harmful diesel emissions helping public health and air quality. Exposure to diesel exhaust can lead to serious health conditions like asthma and respiratory illness, which can worsen existing heart and lung disease, especially in young children and the elderly.
“This grant program is a perfect example of how EPA’s grants incentivize public and private entities alike to invest in innovative technology that not only produces environmental benefits but also boosts business,” says Pete Lopez, regional administrator at the EPA. “As we strengthen our partnerships, EPA will continue to work toward reducing harmful air pollutants and improving air quality in New York’s Nassau and Suffolk Counties.”
