Environment DEC
From the March 2005 issue
Governor Announces Expansion of Clean School Bus Program
Governor George E. Pataki announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will expand its Clean School Bus Program, installing control devices to significantly cut harmful diesel emissions on 1,500 to 2,000 New York City school buses. The $6 million program had initially sought to retrofit up to 1,000 school buses. The NYPA program is already providing cleaner fuel for 2,800 NYC school buses, more than two-thirds of those operating in the city.
New York City school buses will be
retrofitted to reduce harmful emissions
"Expanding this program to retrofit additional buses is another step in the right direction to improve air quality in New York City and protect the health of our school children," Governor Pataki said. "With the assistance of the New York City Department of Education, the Power Authority's Clean School Bus Program is helping to significantly cut diesel emissions that can contribute to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. This initiative is part of our two-pronged approach that is helping to install pollution-reducing technology on existing diesel buses while we seek to ensure that in the future, every new school bus purchased in the state will run on clean fuel."
NYPA Agreements
NYPA has signed an agreement with Lubrizol Engine Control Systems to purchase and install 1,000 diesel oxidation catalysts, the first of which will begin to be installed on buses operating in the Bronx later next month. Lubrizol Engine Control Systems' diesel oxidation catalysts have been certified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to reduce tailpipe emissions on certain bus engine types by 40 percent, when used in conjunction with clean burning ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.
In cooperation with the New York City Department of Education, NYPA signed a long-term agreement to pay the cost differential for purchasing ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. This fuel is already working to reduce emissions by 10 percent on the 2,800 school buses participating in the program. NYPA began funding the transition to cleaner fuel in March 2004. In addition to the clean-fuel agreement, NYPA has reached separate emission control installation agreements with the major providers of pupil transportation services in New York City: Amboy Bus Company, Jofaz Transportation, Consolidated Bus Transit Inc. and Pioneer Transportation Corporation.
Pilot and Expanded Programs
Following the announcement of the Clean School Bus Program in December 2001, NYPA tested and monitored the emissions from a variety of school buses operated by the major fleet owners contracted to transport students for the New York City Department of Education. Test results and the experience gained from a pilot program led to the determination that diesel oxidation catalysts are the most appropriate available technology for the greatest number of school buses now in use.
NYPA had estimated that its initial plan to use a combination of emission controls, including diesel oxidation catalysts, diesel particulate filters and cleaner fuel, would have produced annual reductions of 17,000 pounds of particulate matter (PM) emissions. The expanded program involving 1,500 to 2,000 buses equipped with diesel oxidation catalysts and fueled with ultra-low-sulfur diesel is expected to reduce PM emissions by up to 18,579 to 24,772 pounds annually.
Through the pilot effort, NYPA installed 250 diesel oxidation catalysts on buses owned by Amboy Bus Company (Atlantic Express) and operated out of its depots in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. After completing installation of the first 1,000 diesel oxidation catalysts, NYPA will install emission reduction devices on an additional 500-1,000 buses and will continue to evaluate all available technologies to ensure the best match to the remaining fleet.
