Press Release - Tuesday, September 19, 2006
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Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott welcomes kids back to school and awards Clean School Bus grants in Taylorville and Effingham
SPRINGFIELD — Visiting the Illinois communities of Taylorville and Effingham today on behalf of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director Doug Scott went to school again to welcome kids back and recognize the two school districts for playing very important parts in the Governor's Clean School Bus Program.
"The Clean School Bus Program enables these districts to provide a healthier environment for our children by improving air quality, not only for students riding our buses, but also for everyone around our schools and other areas of the community. The educators and citizens have taken a proactive leadership role in reducing the exhaust our kids breathe and are a shining example to all of Illinois," said Director Scott.
In October 2003, Governor Blagojevich announced the Illinois Clean School Bus Program. The program being implemented by the Illinois EPA allows school districts throughout Illinois to incorporate one or more options to reduce emissions from their school bus fleets and further reduce school children's exposure to the potentially harmful emissions.
In Taylorville, Director Scott presented a larger-than-life check to Superintendent Gregg Fuerstenau, Taylorville Community Unit School District #3, and Michael Bray, from Beck Bus, to congratulate them on using cleaner fuels to power their buses.
Taylorville is the latest school district to participate in the Governor's Clean School Bus Program. Twenty-six buses are expected to be retrofitted with particulate matter filters and using Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel resulting in 90% reduction in emissions per bus.
"The Taylorville Community Unit School District #3 and Beck Bus Transportation Corporation, in partnership with the Illinois Clean School Bus Program, are proud to announce that we will be operating buses that use cleaner fuels to reduce their emissions. The benefit of this effort is a healthier environment for our staff, students and citizens of both Taylorville and Christian County," said Dr. Gregg Fuerstenau, Superintendent Taylorville Community Unit School District #3.
"These Clean School Bus USA projects are vital to achieving clean air," said Mary Pat Tyson, chief of the Air Toxics and Assessment Branch of EPA Region 5. "We are well on our way to a future where nearly every type of diesel engine whether used on farms, railways, highways, ports or in construction will be part of a growing clean diesel family."
Director Scott also made stop in Effingham to recognize the very deserving Effingham school district and commend them for using their Clean School Bus funds to help protect the heath of their 3121 students in district by retrofitting 30 of their 42 school buses with catalyst to reduce emissions. The remaining 12 buses are expected to be traded in within a year.
"We were happy to be able to access this money from the Illinois EPA to address some emission issues on the buses, and the project went very smoothly," said Dean Keller, Director of Business and Finance, Effingham Community Unit School District #40.
By installing catalysts and other emission controls, and using biodiesel and Ultra Low-Sulfur Diesel fuel, both school districts contribute to the nearly 2,000 diesel school buses that have been switched over to reduce potentially harmful air pollutants and make schoolyards healthier for students and staff.
Clean School Bus Facts
· 65 school districts in 32 counties participating in program
· $3,065,662 in grant dollars have been awarded
· 662 busses had catalysts installed
· 350 busses had non-idling equipment installed
· 396 busses now use biodiesel
· 102 busses had particulate matter filters installed
· 256 busses now use ultra low sulfur diesel
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