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Grant could help more school buses green up
The federal money would be used to cut emissions from older buses and improve fuel economy.
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A pioneering Minnesota public-private partnership that has cut harmful diesel exhaust pollution from 1,200 older school buses could receive several million dollars from the federal government in coming months. And some of that money is targeted for engine overhauls that also would cut emissions, increase mileage and the life of some of the estimated 5,000 older yellow buses that are eligible.
Bill Droessler, manager of Project Green Fleet, said Thursday that the nationally noted initiative is expected to announce a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency soon. His organization, the Minnesota Environmental Initiative, which coordinates Green Fleet, also hopes to win $5 million from the EPA in June in "federal stimulus" funds targeted at "greening" the economy with work and jobs that cut pollution and fuel consumption.
The Twin Cities area is the only major metropolitan area in the Midwest that voluntarily meets federal air-quality standards. Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland and other cities are under EPA air pollution reduction mandates.
"For every dollar of federal funds, we leverage $15 in private and other funding," said Droessler. "Our partners include Donaldson Co., which makes engine-filter equipment, Flint Hills Resources, which is making cleaner diesel fuels, and local governments.''
Droessler said the $5 million federal grant "would get us started on engine rebuilds and 'repowers' of hundreds of school buses built before 2007. That will cut fuel consumption, cut pollution by half and extend engine life by up to 15 years."
Diesel-fueled buses and heavy equipment account for just 10 percent of Minnesota motor fuel consumption but half of related pollution, including fine particulate matter, or soot, that has been linked to asthma and cancer. The pollutants have been tested at five times higher inside an old dirty bus than in the outdoor air. Children are especially susceptible to related health problems, according to the Mayo Foundation and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation.
The $400,000 grant, to be announced next week, will leverage several million dollars' worth of work over the next couple of months on more than 200 buses and heavy-duty pieces of municipal equipment.
Retrofits are provided at no charge to school districts, fleet operators or municipalities.
Green Fleet partners include filtration systems maker Donaldson, Braun Intertec, Cemstone, Aggregate Industries, Ziegler Cat, the Mayo and Blue Cross foundations, Flint Hills, Xcel Energy Foundation, Rochester Public Utilities, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
More information: www.mn-ei.org or www.projectgreenfleet.org.
Neal St. Anthony • Neal.St.Anthony@ startribune.com • 612.673.7144
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