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newsrel -- STIMULUS PLAN’S FIRST CLEANER SCHOOL BUS

Posted: 22 Jul 2009 11:40:59
STATE GIVES SAN DIEGO FUNDING TO RETROFIT DIRTY DIESELS. 

	
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 22, 2009
Contacts:
Leo Kay, ARB, (916) 849-9843
Francisco Arcaute, EPA, (213) 798-1404	

STIMULUS PLAN’S FIRST CLEANER SCHOOL BUS 
STATE GIVES SAN DIEGO FUNDING TO RETROFIT DIRTY DIESELS

SAN DIEGO - Today the California Air Resources Board and the San
Diego Air Pollution Control Board unveiled one of the first
school buses in the country to be retrofitted with a pollution
control device using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(economic stimulus) funding from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.

This funding will allow the San Diego Unified School District to
clean up an additional ten school buses, leaving only seven of
its 519-bus fleet without this advanced diesel particulate
filtration.

“School buses should be a happy sight in a community,” said
Shelia Jackson, President of the SDUSD Board of Education. “Our
clean fleet ensures that’s the case and we’d like to thank our
federal and state partners for helping clean up our
communities.”

In addition, through their efforts, the San Diego Air Pollution
Control District and SDUSD are using this stimulus funding to
create or sustain jobs in the manufacturing sector and, with the
school district’s Automotive Technology Program, paving the way
for a greener workforce for tomorrow.  

"The state and its school children thank the Obama
Administration for sending this funding our way to clean up
older, dirty diesel school buses," said ARB Chairman Mary D.
Nichols. "San Diego officials, in particular, wasted no time in
parlaying this money into real, on-the-ground projects that are
providing jobs and protecting children's lungs at the same
time."

Diesel emissions pose significant environmental health problem,
including respiratory and cardiac illnesses, and asthma. 
Particulate matter in diesel exhaust is the driver of risk.  It
is considerably smaller in size than human hair and penetrates
deeply into the lungs.   Diesel exhaust also degrades air quality
and contributes to climate change.  Children are more susceptible
to air pollution than healthy adults because their respiratory
systems are still developing and they have a faster breathing
rate. 

Today’s announcement marks the launch of a state-wide effort, as
part of the Diesel Emission Reduction Act State Clean Diesel
Program, being implemented by the ARB and other state partners to
retrofit more than 80 school buses throughout California with
$1.73 Million USEPA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funding.

“EPA congratulates the State of California for its leadership in
bringing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to life in
our communities," said Laura Yoshii, EPA's Acting Regional
Administrator in the Pacific Southwest.  “As a result of federal,
state and local efforts, this project helps create a healthier
environment through cleaner diesel technologies and a revitalized
economy through job creation and retention.”

In December, the ARB adopted a first-in-the-nation requirement
that calls for the nearly one million trucks and buses driving
California roadways be retrofitted and that all older, dirtier
engines be replaced over the next several years.  The regulation
is expected to prevent 4,500 premature deaths, 71,000 cases of
asthma and lower respiratory systems and 450,000 work days lost
once fully implemented.
- # # # -

For information on EPA’s implementation of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in California, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/region09/eparecovery/cleandiesel.html.
    
For information about EPA’s clean diesel initiatives, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.

For information about the California Air Resources Board, visit:
http://www.arb.ca.gov.

For information on the San Diego Unified School District, go to
http://www.sandi.net.

For information about the San Diego County Air Pollution Control
District, please visit: http://www.sdapcd.org.  For information
on how San Diego County is using stimulus funds, visit 
http://www.recoverysdcounty.org/.




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