Sec. 22a-21j. School bus emissions reduction program. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 22a-21j. School bus emissions reduction program. (a) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish a school bus emissions reduction program. Such program shall be established regardless of the price levels established by the procurement contracts developed pursuant to subsection (c) of section 14-164o. Through the program, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall:

      (1) Within available appropriations, make grants with funds from the school bus emissions reduction account, established pursuant to section 22a-21k, to municipalities and local and regional school boards to reimburse them for the cost of retrofitting full-sized school buses that are projected to be in service on or after September 1, 2010, as follows: (A) Not to exceed five thousand dollars for each bus with an engine model year between 2003 to 2006, inclusive, that has been equipped with a closed crankcase filtration system and a level 3 device; (B) not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars for each bus that has been equipped with a closed crankcase filtration system and a level 2 device; and (C) not to exceed one thousand two hundred fifty dollars for each bus that has been equipped with a closed crankcase filtration system and a level 1 device. In the event the procurement contracts developed pursuant to section 14-164o fail to establish a price level for the purchase, installation and warranty of a closed crankcase filtration system and either a level 1 device, level 2 device or level 3 device in each type of full-sized school bus that is equivalent to or less than the grant level for such emissions control device specified in this section, municipalities and local and regional boards of education may opt to retrofit their full-sized school buses and continue to be eligible to receive the grants established in this section;

      (2) Develop an outreach plan and materials for educating and notifying municipalities, local and regional boards of education and bus companies about the requirements of section 14-164o; and

      (3) Assist municipalities and local and regional boards of education and bus companies to retrofit their full-sized school buses. Such assistance shall include, but not be limited to, guidance in choosing whether to retrofit buses with either a level 1 device, level 2 device or level 3 device.

      (b) To receive a reimbursement pursuant to this section, a municipality or local or regional board of education shall submit a form prescribed by the commissioner to the Department of Environmental Protection, which shall contain: (1) The school bus model and year, engine model and year, vehicle identification number and date of installation for each eligible retrofitted bus, (2) for an eligible bus retrofitted with a level 3 device, a certification that the bus will operate in the state for not less than three years after the date of installation of the emission control device, and (3) a receipt for the purchase of the emission control devices and their installation.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 19.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 effective July 1, 2007.

      See Secs. 14-164n, 14-164o re emissions control devices in school buses.