Trish Koman, MPP, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Assessment and Standards Division, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, 734-214-4955, koman.trish@epa.gov

Since the EPA Administrator announced EPA's Clean School Bus USA campaign in April 2003, the public-private partnership has grown to a major $65 million initiative in President Bush's 2005 budget proposal. Clean School Bus USA (CSBUSA) has the ambitious goal of retrofitting or replacing every older diesel school bus in the nation--approximately 400,000 buses--by 2010, thus avoiding over 200,000 lbs. of particulate matter pollution in the next ten years. Important exposure research by the California Air Resources Board found higher levels of air pollutants inside diesel buses than ambient levels in an urban area, suggesting a greater risk for children for exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory conditions. The overall program will reduce community-level PM effects including over 19,000 asthma attacks in adults, 112,600 upper respiratory symptoms in children, and approximately 1,000 fewer asthma-related emergency room visits. CSBUSA brings together partnerships between manufacturers of buses, engines and emissions control devices, clean fuel alternatives, school districts, local communities and local/State and Federal governments to lower these harmful diesel emissions. Approximately 40 clean school bus projects are being piloted in communities across the country, along with a greater number of complimentary anti-idling programs. This session will highlight the lessons learned from those pilot clean school bus projects, how communities and districts can implement such projects, the health and environmental benefits of retrofitting and replacing school buses, technology alternatives (fuels, emissions control devices and compressed natural gas buses), and clean school bus resources available to communities and public health officials.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to
(
• explain health and environmental risks from diesel exhaust from school buses and techniques for quantifying impacts; (
• articulate the many options for retrofitting and replacing older diesel buses, including costs and pros and cons; (
• create an action plan for how a community and/or school district would develop and implement a successful clean school bus project;
• understand how to access Federal, State and local resources for such a project.

Keywords: Asthma, Air Pollutants

Related Web page: www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Disparities in Vulnerable Populations: Responses in Home, School, and Community Settings

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA