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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAlaska Energy Authority Announces Volkswagen Settlement School Bus Grants Awards Press Release 02-25-2020-VW 813 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 | P 907.771.3000 | Toll Free 888.300.8534 | F 907.771.3044 | WWW.AKENERGYAUTHORITY.ORG REDUCING THE COST OF ENERGY IN ALASKA PRESS RELEASE Karsten Rodvik External Affairs Officer 907.771.3024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 25, 2020 AEA Announces Volkswagen Settlement School Bus Grants Program Will Replace 33 Older Diesel Buses for Eight School Districts (Anchorage) – The Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) is pleased to announce that eight school districts will receive approximately $4.4 million to replace 33 older diesel school buses with new clean- burning buses under the Volkswagen (VW) Settlement School Bus Replacement Program:  Alaska Gateway School District  Anchorage School District  Juneau School District  Kake City School District  Kenai Peninsula Borough School District  Kodiak Island Borough School District  Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District  Southeast Island School District Buses were ranked based on the amount of ambient nitrogen oxides (NOx) and diesel particulate matter in the areas that the buses operate, as well as the presence of at-risk communities exposed to these pollutants, cost effectiveness at reducing NOx, and voluntary matching funds. “By replacing older engines with new technologies, the school buses will help improve air quality in these areas of the state,” said AEA Executive Director, Curtis W. Thayer. "The new buses will result in a reduction of 24.6 short tons of NOx and 1.8 short tons of fine particulate matter over the remaining lifetimes of the replaced school buses.” VW was sued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its installation of software in diesel vehicles that masked actual in-use emissions of NOx. The parties reached a settlement, and AEA was designated the lead agency to administer Alaska’s allocation. The Alaska Energy Authority is a public corporation of the state. Its mission is to reduce the cost of energy in Alaska. ###