As called for in the state budget, the program would provide grants to school districts to reduce pollutant emissions from school buses by retrofitting and replacing them. Air districts would have to apply directly to the ARB for funds for the retrofit portion of the program by January 26, 2001. Such advantages include providing match funding to expand the scope of the program. Staff recommends the Governing Board's approval to submit applications to the ARB and the CEC for the local administration of the school bus retrofit and replacement programs respectively. The AQMP relies on the expedited implementation of advanced technologies and clean-burning fuels in Southern California to achieve air quality standards.
School buses operate in close proximity to students, teachers and neighbors.
Many schools provide bus services in heavily populated areas. The successful implementation of the Lower-Emission School Bus Replacement and Retrofit Program will provide less polluting, and in many cases, safer school transportation for school children, and will reduce public exposure to toxic diesel particulate matter emissions. Monies received from the ARB will be placed in a separate fund, only to be used for the replacement and retrofit of school buses in the South Coast Air Basin, according to the guidelines adopted by the ARB Governing Board on December 7, 2000. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.