First School District in Nation to Entirely Convert to CNG School Buses

Oct. 24, 2001

AQMD JOINS WITH THE JURUPA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CREATE REGION'S FIRST ENTIRELY CLEAN SCHOOL BUS FLEET

With support from South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Jurupa Unified School District will become the first school system in the region to convert entirely to clean-fueled school buses.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to help Jurupa convert to clean buses," said Jane Carney, the Senate Rules Committee representative to AQMD's Governing Board. "We’ll be helping many more districts thanks to new programs that are funding clean transportation for students throughout our region and state."

AQMD awarded $3.23 million to Jurupa USD to help purchase a total of 34 full-sized compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses and nine smaller gasoline-powered buses.

So far, the school district has acquired 24 CNG buses and the nine smaller gasoline-powered models. When the remaining 10 CNG buses are purchased next year, the school district will have eliminated all but one diesel bus, which will be retained for long-distance trips. That bus is being retrofitted with a particulate trap to cut its soot emissions.

The total project cost is $5.33 million, funded from the following sources:

$3 million from a $17 million settlement paid by AES Alamitos LLC for excess emissions generated by one of its power plants in 2000;
$1.45 million expected from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee;
$500,000 from Jurupa USD;
$234,826 from AQMD funds for building natural gas fueling stations;
$140,000 from the Riverside County Community Redevelopment Agency; and
$8,000 from the statewide Low Emission School Bus Program.

"Our district is located along a transportation corridor. We recognize the need for our district to provide a healthful environment for our students. This current funding for clean buses makes it possible for us to do our part for cleaner air," said Mary Burns, a member of the Jurupa USD School Board. "Funding must be continued so that all students in our region and state can have a healthier start."

AQMD was quick to help the Jurupa USD because the area lies in western Riverside County, which has the highest levels of particulate pollution in the region and among the highest in the nation. Last year, the area had an annual average level of fine particulate matter of 60.1 micrograms per cubic meter, exceeding the federal health standard of 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

Moreover, recent findings by University of Southern California health researchers show that children growing up in the area suffer respiratory impairment.

"We need to do everything possible to reduce levels of soot and particulate matter," said Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione. "Air pollution is a leading public health issue."

Jurupa’s conversion to clean-fueled buses will reduce emissions of particulate matter by 226 pounds a year and eliminate exposure to toxic diesel exhaust from Jurupa USD buses. Use of the cleaner buses also will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 4.62 tons a year.

Jurupa USD operates 24 schools in western Riverside County serving 19,700 students. Each day 4,500 students ride the school district’s 44 buses.

Jurupa’s transition to entirely clean buses will be the first of many in the Southland. Earlier this year, AQMD adopted Rule 1195 – Clean On-Road School Buses, which will require area schools and school transportation companies to purchase clean buses when replacing or adding to their fleets. Eventually, all school buses in the region will be cleaner than today’s diesel models.

AQMD adopted the rule as part of a series of measures that gradually will shift public fleets of trucks and buses, such as trash trucks and public transit buses, in the area to clean fuels. The rules closely follow an AQMD study completed in 1999 that shows diesel soot is the worst toxic air pollutant in the region, responsible for some 70% of the cancer risk from breathing outdoor air. Another recent study has shown that toxic diesel fumes inside school buses put students at increased risk.

To help school districts comply with the new requirement, AQMD is administering a number of funding programs that will provide more than $23 million this year for clean school buses, including:

The statewide Low Emission School Bus Program;
The Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program;
AQMD’s Clean Fuels Fund; and
Environmental mitigation fees paid by area power plant operators.

Money also is available from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee.

AQMD is the regional air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the metropolitan portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

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