Clean Air Zone Idaho is a statewide program aimed at reducing children’s exposure to school bus diesel exhaust by discouraging idling of buses and other vehicles and encouraging use of alternative fuels in school buses.

The program supports Clean School Bus USA, a national partnership to reduce emissions of air pollutants from school buses. To assist Idaho schools in accessing federal funding and achieving national program goals, DEQ has initiated Clean Air Zone Idaho to provide Idaho schools with a comprehensive toolkit to reduce the impacts of vehicle emissions outside their schools. (Note: DEQ has also initiated a Clean Air Zone Idaho anti-idling program for communities. Click here for more information on the program for communities.)

The goals of Clean Air Zone Idaho for schools are to:

• Provide a healthier environment for Idaho's school-children by reducing
  emissions from diesel-powered school buses and other vehicles;
• Improve air quality in and around school buildings and throughout local
  communities; and
• Assist school districts in obtaining funding to use cleaner fuels, replace existing buses with cleaner models, and/or retrofit buses with advanced emission control technologies.

Diesel exhaust aggravates asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, according to the
U.S. EPA, and exacerbates allergies. Based on human exposure studies as well as lab
data, EPA has concluded that diesel is a probable carcinogen.

While dropping off or picking students up from school and waiting, idling buses and
vehicles emit fine particulate matter and other air pollutants, which can impact air
quality and public health. Bus idling and bus queuing can further increase the concentrations of particulates both inside school buses and inside nearby buildings.

Although breathing diesel exhaust may not measurably impair lung function in adults, recent studies demonstrate that particulate pollution can impair the development
of lungs in children. Fortunately, schools can take several steps to reduce
diesel exhaust from school buses.

 Biodiesel Fuels:

Biodiesel, a mixture of diesel fuel with soybean or vegetable oil-based products, can reduce fine particulate emissions by up to 10%, and also may reduce the toxicity of
diesel emissions. A standard diesel engine can operate on biodiesel mixtures of up to 20% without physical modifications. The incremental cost of 20% biodiesel typically ranges from 12-20 cents per gallon.

 Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel:

ULSD has significantly less sulfur content, which results in up to 10% reductions of fine particulates, and can be used in any diesel vehicle. The additional cost of ULSD ranges from 8-20 cents per gallon.

Across the country, local school districts have purchased more than 2,600 clean alternative fuel buses over the past few years. With the increase in federal funding under the Clean School Bus Program, the opportunity has never been better for Idaho schools to participate in this nationwide program. DEQ is committed to helping Idaho schools in finding and applying for funds to:

• retrofit buses with new technologies.
• replace old buses with new cleaner buses.
• repair and maintain existing buses to run safe and clean.

 Idaho's School Bus Diesel Retrofit Program:

Idaho's Diesel Retrofit Program is a statewide effort to retrofit school buses with new technologies designed to reduce emissions.  For information or to join, contact Jorge Garcia at (208) 373-0502 or jorge.garcia@deq.idaho.gov.