Greater Clark County Schools receives EPA rebate for cleaner buses

JUNE 1ST. IT COST $50 PER YEAR GREATER CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS IS GETTING A GRANT TO GO GREEN. THE EPA’S CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM WILL HELP THE DISTRICT REPLACE DIESEL FUELED BUSSES WITH A CLEANER ALTERNATIVE. NORMAN SEAWRIGHT SHOWS US WHAT THAT MEANS MEANS FOR THE DISTRICT AND STUDENTS. AS. THE INSIDE OF THIS GREATER CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL BUS IS PRETTY STANDARD, BUT IT’S WHAT’S IN THE HOOD THAT’S GOING TO MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE. THIS IS A PROPANE POWERED BUS. IT’S A MUCH CLEANER FUEL SOURCE THAN DIESEL, AND THE DISTRICT WANTS TO BE SURE THAT BY 2030, 85% OF THEIR FLEET IS JUST LIKE THIS ONE. FUNDING FROM THE EPA SHOULD HELP. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 13 PROPANE BUSSES THAT ARE RIGHT BEHIND US, AND THAT MAKES UP ABOUT RIGHT NOW. IT’S ABOUT 2,025% OF OUR FLEET GCS, TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR DANIEL BORDER SAYS THE $25,000 REBATE FROM THE EPA’S CLEAN BUS PROGRAM WILL HELP THEM BETTER PROTECT STUDENTS FROM HARMFUL EMISSIONS. KIDS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO A LOT OF THESE THAN ADULTS. AND THE THREE MAIN THINGS WITH LUNG CANCER ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES. AND SO WE’RE HOPING TO KIND OF DO OUR PART. BORDERS POINTS TO A 2019 WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY STUDY THAT SAYS A PROPANE SCHOOL BUS EMITS 96% LESS NITROGEN OXIDE THAN A DIESEL BUS, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS TO CLARK COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER DOCTOR ERIC YEAZEL. THEIR LUNGS ARE STILL DEVELOPING, SO THE MORE HEALTHY AIR QUALITY THAT WE CAN EXPOSE THEM TO, YOU KNOW, THAT’S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP PREVENT A LIFETIME OF COMPLICATIONS. DOCTOR YEAZEL SAYS EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL EMISSIONS HAS A SNOWBALL EFFECT. A CHILD MAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE FLARE OF ASTHMA, BUT THEN THEY GET ON A BUS AND GET, YOU KNOW, INHALE SOME FUMES OR HAVE POOR AIR QUALITY, YOU KNOW, NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY’RE GOING HOME FROM SCHOOL EARLY, MAYBE OUT 2 OR 3 DAYS. AND BORDER SAYS A PROPANE BUS PROVIDES A BONUS. IT’S CHEAPER TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN DIESEL BUS OPERATION IS AROUND 250 TO $3 A MILE. WHEN YOU RUN PROPANE, IT ACTUALLY DROPS THAT DOWN 30 TO $0.50 PER MILE. BUT THE GREATEST PAYOFF IS ENSURING A HEALTHY FUTURE FOR YOUR KIDS. WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THEY’RE GOING TO BE THE ONES DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING, AND SO WE JUST WANT TO LEAVE IT A BETTER, CLEANER PLACE. WITHIN THE YEAR, THE DISTRICT PLANS TO BUY THREE MORE DIESEL BUSSES AND FOUR MORE PROPANE BUSSES, AND OF COURSE, THAT REBATE WILL T