Nov. 22, 2013 --The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality announced the selection of three Nebraska schools that will receive Clean Diesel reimbursements. The reimbursements will be used to help the schools replace older school buses with new buses that have certified cleaner-burning engines. This funding is made possible by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State Clean Diesel Grant program.

Schools across the state were informed of this opportunity in September, and all K-12 schools (both public and private) were eligible to apply. The reimbursements are to be used to help pay for replacement of 1990-2003 engine-model-year school buses that are still part of their active fleet with a new school bus powered by an EPA or CARB certified 2012 or newer model-year engine.

Because the funds available for 2013 are limited, NDEQ had previously announced that it intended to award three reimbursements of $24,630. Because 21 applications were determined to be eligible, NDEQ conducted a drawing on Nov. 22 to select the three recipients. The first three selected in the drawing were:

1. Blair Community Schools
2. Elm Creek Public Schools
3. Auburn Public Schools

If a selected grant recipient is unable to fulfill the terms of the grant, the reimbursement opportunity will be given to the next eligible school that was selected. The next schools selected in the drawing were:
 

4. Johnson County Central Public School
5. David City Public Schools
6. Dundy County Stratton Public School
7. Norfolk Catholic Schools
8. Hayes Center Public Schools
9. Brady Public Schools
10. North Bend Central Public Schools
11. Allen Consolidated Schools
12. Bishop Neumann Central High School
13. Banner County School
14. Schuyler Community School
15. Hampton Public School
16. Newman Grove School
17. Oakland-Craig Public Schools
18. McCook Public Schools
19. Gothenburg Public Schools
20. Osmond Community Schools
21. Louisville Public School
 

More information can be found by going to NDEQ’s web site and Selecting Publications/Air Quality, “2013 Clean Diesel School Bus Rebate Application and Instructions.” The direct web address is http://deq.ne.gov/Publica.nsf/pages/12-003