The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has selected 13 school districts across the state to participate in the 2022-23 Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program.
In total, 25 school districts applied to replace 58 school buses, with 13 of those districts being named the recipients of up to $23,093.
The funds, which will be used to replace one older bus with a new diesel school bus, were allocated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) State Grants Program.
“It’s a rewarding part of our job to be able to oversee programs like this which benefit our communities
and schools while making a positive environmental impact across the state,” Chris Wells, Executive
Director of the MDEQ, said.
The following districts have been named recipients of funds for this year’s program:
- Alcorn School District
- Chickasaw County School District
- Cleveland School District
- Columbus Municipal School District
- Hazlehurst City School District
- Itawamba County School District
- Jackson County School District
- Jackson Public School District
- Long Beach School District
- Pearl Public School District
- Perry County School District
- Scott County School District
- South Panola School District
The goal of the program is to reduce emissions from diesel school buses through the early retirement of buses that were made prior to 2010.
Since implementing the program in 2014, the Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program has provided over $2.4 million to 63 school districts for the purchase and replacement of 145 school buses.
