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(j) REDUCTION
OF SCHOOL BUS IDLING.—Each
local educational agency (as defined in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801)) that receives Federal funds under the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6301 et seq.) is encouraged to develop a policy, consistent
with the health, safety, and welfare of students and the
proper operation and maintenance of school buses, to re-
duce the incidence of unnecessary school bus idling at
schools when picking up and unloading students.
(k) ANNUAL REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 31
of each year, the Administrator shall transmit to
Congress a report evaluating implementation of the
programs under this section and section 743.
(2) COMPONENTS.—The reports shall include a
description of—
(A) the total number of grant applications
received;
(B) the number and types of alternative
fuel school buses, ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel
school buses, and retrofitted buses requested in
grant applications;
(C) grants awarded and the criteria used
to select the grant recipients;
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(D) certified engine emission levels of all
buses purchased or retrofitted under the pro-
grams under this section and section 743;
(E) an evaluation of the in-use emission
level of buses purchased or retrofitted under the
programs under this section and section 743;
and
(F) any other information the Adminis-
trator considers appropriate.
(l) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to
carry out this section, to remain available until
expended—
(1) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) such sums as are necessary for each of fis-
cal years 2008 and 2009.
SEC. 743. DIESEL RETROFIT PROGRAM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with the Secretary, shall establish a program for
awarding grants on a competitive basis to entities for the
installation of retrofit technologies for diesel school buses.
(b) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—A grant shall be award-
ed under this section only—
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(1) to a local or State governmental entity re-
sponsible for providing school bus service to 1 or
more public school systems;
(2) to 1 or more contracting entities that pro-
vide school bus service to 1 or more public school
systems, if the grant application is submitted jointly
with the 1 or more school systems that the buses
will serve, except that the application may provide
that buses purchased using funds awarded shall be
owned, operated, and maintained exclusively by the
1 or more contracting entities; or
(3) to a nonprofit school transportation associa-
tion representing private contracting entities, if the
association has notified and received approval from
the 1 or more school systems to be served by the
buses.
(c) AWARDS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator shall
seek, to the maximum extent practicable, to ensure
a broad geographic distribution of grants under this
section.
(2) PREFERENCES.—In making awards of
grants under this section, the Administrator shall
give preference to proposals that—
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(A) will achieve the greatest reductions in
emissions of nonmethane hydrocarbons, oxides
of nitrogen, or particulate matter per proposal
or per bus; or
(B) involve the use of emissions control
retrofit technology on diesel school buses that
operate solely on ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.
(d) CONDITIONS OF GRANT.—A grant shall be pro-
vided under this section on the conditions that—
(1) buses on which retrofit emissions-control
technology are to be demonstrated—
(A) will operate on ultra-low sulfur diesel
fuel where such fuel is reasonably available or
required for sale by State or local law or regula-
tion;
(B) were manufactured in model year 1991
or later; and
(C) will be used for the transportation of
school children to and from school for a min-
imum of 5 years;
(2) grant funds will be used for the purchase of
emission control retrofit technology, including State
taxes and contract fees; and
(3) grant recipients will provide at least 15 per-
cent of the total cost of the retrofit, including the
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purchase of emission control retrofit technology and
all necessary labor for installation of the retrofit.
(e) VERIFICATION.—Not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall
publish in the Federal Register procedures to verify—
(1) the retrofit emissions-control technology to
be demonstrated;
(2) that buses powered by ultra-low sulfur die-
sel fuel on which retrofit emissions-control tech-
nology are to be demonstrated will operate on diesel
fuel containing not more than 15 parts per million
of sulfur; and
(3) that grants are administered in accordance
with this section.
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to
carry out this section, to remain available until
expended—
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) such sums as are necessary for each of fis-
cal years 2008 and 2009.