The Allegheny County Health Department and the Department of Environmental Protection are sponsoring a free workshop on May 10 to help school districts and transit companies reduce exhaust emissions from diesel-powered school buses. The deadline for registration is April 18.

The program will offer information on actions schools can take to curb school bus emissions, like switching to cleaner fuel, retrofitting buses with pollution control equipment and accelerating the purchase of new, less-polluting diesel-powered buses.

Government grants are available to schools, including those that lease diesel-powered buses from private companies, for purchasing retrofit devices and using cleaner fuel.

The workshop, which includes lunch, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boyce Campus of Community College of Allegheny County in Monroeville. It is open to parent-teacher organizations and environmental groups as well as school districts, school bus companies and colleges and universities that transport students.

To register call the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD.

4/15/2005