What is Clean Diesel?
More efficient engines, cleaner fuel, and advanced emissions control technology have dramatically reduced harmful air pollution from today's diesel buses, trucks, and other heavy-duty engines. Grant funding through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality provides financial support for projects that protect human health and improve air quality by reducing harmful emissions from diesel engines. Grants and rebates are funded under the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) through the Kentucky DERA State Grant Program (formerly known as the Kentucky Clean Diesel Grant Program).
2024 Funding Now Open!
Proposals for funding through the Kentucky DERA State Grant Program (formerly the Clean Diesel Grant Program) are due Nov. 15, 2024. Successful applicants will be reimbursed up to 25 percent of the total cost of the purchase of a new replacement school bus. A financial match from the school district is required for all projects. A single proposal may target multiple diesel school buses in a district's fleet manufactured in 2009 or earlier. The replacement buses must be 2021 or newer model year diesel or alternative fuel buses. Buses being replaced must be scrapped or rendered permanently disabled within ninety days of being replaced and no later than Sept. 30, 2026.
Proposal packages are due by Nov. 15, 2024. Projects funded through this grant program must be completed no later than Sept. 30, 2026.
The proposal package must include the following materials:
Past Funding Awards
2023 Funding
Five Kentucky school districts received a total of $340,950 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2023 Kentucky DERA State Grant Program. School districts in Campbell, Fleming, Henry, Mason, and Nelson counties used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel and propane buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 10 buses were replaced by the five school districts. The awards to each school district were:
- Campbell County: $65,000
- Fleming County: $39,218.75
- Henry County: $39,231
- Mason County: $72,500
- Nelson County: $125,000
2022 Funding
Six Kentucky school districts received a total of $307,892 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2022 Clean Diesel Grant Program. School districts in Daviess, Johnson, Russell, Scott, Trigg, and Washington counties used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 9 buses were replaced by the six school districts. The awards to each school district were:
- Johnson County: $27,750
- Owensboro Independent Schools: $46,798.75
- Russell County: $33,874.75
- Scott County: $98,258.50
- Trigg County: $40,169.50
- Washington County: $61,041
2021 Funding
Five Kentucky school districts received a total of $268,999 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2021 Clean Diesel Grant Program. School districts in Breathitt, Trigg, and Washington counties as well as Corbin and Owensboro used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 9 buses were replaced by the five school districts. The awards to each school district were:
- Corbin Independent School District: $35,647.25
- Breathitt County Schools: $58,500
- Owensboro Independent Schools: $70,608
- Trigg County Board of Education: $79,000
- Washington County Board of Education: $25,243.75
2020 Funding
Three Kentucky school districts received a total of $294,748 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2020 Clean Diesel Grant Program. School districts in Bullitt, Laurel and Wayne counties used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 12 buses were replaced by the three school districts. The awards to each school district were:
- Wayne County Public Schools: $56,297.50
- Bullitt County Public Schools: $123,043.75
- Laurel County Public Schools: $67,646.75
2019 Funding
Seven Kentucky school districts received a total of $321,010 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2019 Clean Diesel Grant Program. School districts in Bath, Breathitt, Bullitt, Campbell, Green, McClean and Trigg counties used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 12 buses were replaced by the seven school districts. The awards to each school district were:
- Bath County: $23,932.75
- Breathitt County: $26,382
- Bullitt County: $99,303.29
- Campbell County: $78,625
- Green County: $40,266.96
- McClean County: $25,000
- Trigg County: $27,500
2018 Funding
Five Kentucky school districts received $231,237 to reduce diesel emissions from their school bus fleets through the 2018 Clean Diesel Grant Program. School districts in Bullitt, Jefferson, Franklin, Letcher and Green counties used the funds to replace older-model, diesel school buses with new diesel buses that will emit 98 percent less particulate matter and 90 percent less nitrogen oxide than the older buses they are replacing. A total of 10 diesel school buses were replaced by the five school districts. The awards to each school district were: Bullitt, $25,524, Jefferson, $54,621, Franklin, $72,122, Letcher, $26,102, and Green, $52,867.
2014 Funding
Crittenden County Board of Education was awarded approximately $95,000 to replace four old unretrofitted diesel school buses with four new propane autogas school buses. Crittenden County obtained the first propaned-powered bus for student transportation in the state last year and is thrilled with the cost savings and emissions reductions. The new propane buses produce 98 percent less NOx emissions and 100 percent less particulate matter emissions than the old diesel buses they are replacing. The addition of the four new propane buses will also save the school district an estimated $13,000 in fuel and maintenance in the upcoming school year alone.
2012 Funding
Crittenden County used about $70,000 to retrofit 14 school buses with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) and closed crankcase ventilation (CCV) systems and to fund part of the cost of replacing a 1992 diesel bus with a 2014 propane school bus – the first in the state! Louisville Metro Government used about $50,000 to retrofit two additional refuse haulers with diesel particulate filters (DPF) and purchase a DPF control panel, continuing their project from past years.
2010-11 Funding
Louisville Metro Government received $425,880 in these two years of clean diesel funding to retrofit 18 refuse haulers with DPFs and CCV systems.
2009 Funding
Two projects were awarded a total of $235,000. The first of these was a truck replacement and idle-reduction project with an independent owner-operator long-haul trucking operation. The second was implemented by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, which led to the retrofit of 13 refuse haulers in the fleet.
In the spring of 2009, DAQ received $1.73 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funding through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the division chose to utilize this funding to expand 2008’s Kentucky Clean School Bus Grant Program. Twenty-two school districts reduced diesel emissions in their districts through the installation of emission control devices in their bus fleets. The funded school districts included Ashland Independent, Corbin Independent, Daviess County, Elizabethtown Independent, Floyd County, Frankfort Independent, Franklin County, Gallatin County, Grayson County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County, Livingston County, Madison County, Marion County, Montgomery County, Owsley County, Pike County, Pulaski County, Somerset Independent, Spencer County, Taylor County and Warren County. In addition to the bus retrofits performed, each school district also implemented an idle-reduction policy in their school bus fleet. The division encouraged this as a component of participation in the Clean School Bus Grant Program, and DAQ staff provided educational materials, templates and support for the adoption and implementation of these policies.
2008 Funding
During the inaugural year of the Kentucky Clean School Bus Grant Program, DAQ awarded $196,000 in DERA funds to six school districts in Kentucky to help reduce emissions in their districts through the installation of DOCs and CCV systems on their school buses. The following counties received funding: Bell, Boone, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson and Paducah Independent Schools.