News Releases - 2003

Governor Announces Kick-off Of His Statewide Clean School Bus Program To Provide Healthier Environment For Illinois School Children

Chatham, Ill -- As Children’s Health Month is observed, Governor Rod Blagojevich today announced the kick-off of his “Illinois Clean School Bus Program” to significantly reduce emissions from existing diesel-powered school buses.

The multi-faceted program includes assisting Illinois school districts in replacing existing buses with cleaner models, retrofitting existing buses with advanced emission control technologies and implementing cleaner fuels. The program, which also has an important educational component, will result in a healthier environment for Illinois’ school children and improving air quality in and around school buildings and throughout local communities.

“This program implements several priorities of my administration. It will help create a healthier learning environment and cleaner air and also provide an economic boost to the Illinois companies that are developing clean-diesel technology and fuels that use soybeans grown and processed in Illinois,” said Governor Blagojevich.

“Studies have shown that children are particularly susceptible to diesel emissions, and our goal through this program is to dramatically improve the environment our children are exposed to each school day,” said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.

The new program was announced today on behalf of the Governor by Director Cipriano at the Glenwood Intermediate School in Chatham. The Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 is one of the first school districts in the state to participate in the program.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to participate in the Illinois Clean School Bus Program,” said Dr. Richard Voltz, superintendent of Ball-Chatham District. “The safety of each student is a priority at Ball-Chatham, and having our buses run with what will be a 40 percent reduction in potentially harmful exhaust emissions certainly fits into our student safety priorities.”

Also participating in today’s launch was State Superintendent of Education Dr. Robert Schiller. “The State Board of Education looks forward to working in partnership with the Governor and Illinois EPA to get the word out to local districts on this important new program,” said Dr. Schiller.

Approximately 24 million students nationwide are transported each day by school buses, the largest mass transit program in the United States. At least 70 percent of the approximate 18,500 school buses in Illinois are powered by diesel fuel. As a result, thousands of Illinois’ school children are potentially exposed to particulate matter emissions resulting from the combustion of diesel fuel.

The Illinois Clean School Bus Program, which is being implemented by the Illinois EPA, will allow school districts throughout Illinois to incorporate one or more options to reduce emissions from their school bus fleets.

Options available include installing after-market retrofits such as oxidation catalysts or particulate filters; replacing existing diesel fuel with cleaner burning fuels such as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) or 20 percent biodiesel; and utilizing clean diesel technology, including engines that can meet the more stringent emission standards set for 2007 or natural gas and propane powered engines.

Beyond these options, the Illinois EPA will work with school district personnel and commercial school bus providers to provide resources on the potential health and environmental impacts and to reduce or eliminate unnecessary idling of school buses.

As one of the first participants in the Illinois Clean School Bus Program, Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District has plans to retrofit a large portion, more than 25 buses, of their existing school bus fleet with oxidation catalysts. Additionally, the district has future plans to implement biodiesel fuel, a mixture of diesel fuel with soybean oil, for the entire bus fleet. The district currently uses approximately 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel each school year.

“The Illinois Clean School Bus Program will allow us to further our commitment to protecting the environment and the citizens, particularly the children, of Illinois,” added Director Cipriano.

Funding for the program has been initially provided by a supplemental environmental project, under terms of an Illinois EPA enforcement case. This initial funding is restricted to twenty-four counties in the State. (A map is attached indicating counties eligible for this funding).

As part of the kick-off today, Illinois EPA is also announcing the creation of a new corporate sponsorship program called the “Adopt-a-Bus” Program. This program will make it possible for businesses and organizations to provide financial contributions and in-kind services to benefit schools/school districts throughout the State. Further funding is being secured through federal grants and other resources to implement the program on a statewide basis. Currently, the program is available to public schools/school districts and non-profit private schools in Illinois.

Additional information on the Illinois Clean School Bus Program is available through the Illinois EPA by calling 217-524-4947.