Connecticut Grants
School Bus Retrofit Program
The Connecticut Clean School Bus Program was created to: 1) establish grants for municipalities and local and regional school boards for reimbursement of the cost of retrofitting full-sized school buses that are projected to be in service on or after September 1, 2010; 2) develop and implement an outreach plan and educational materials regarding the program, and; 3) assist municipalities and local and regional boards of education and bus companies to retrofit their full-sized school buses. (Reference Connecticut General Statutes 22a-21j and 22a-21k)
Biodiesel Production and Distribution Grants
The Connecticut Qualified Biodiesel Producer Incentive Account, managed by the Department of Economic and Community Development, provides grants to qualified biodiesel producers and distributors. A qualified biodiesel producer is eligible for up to 60 monthly grants from the account, up to a total grant per fiscal year equal to: 1) $0.30 per gallon for the first five million gallons of biodiesel produced; 2) $0.20 per gallon for the second five million gallons of biodiesel produced; and 3) $0.10 per gallon for the third five million gallons of biodiesel produced. Any portion of biodiesel produced by a qualified biodiesel producer in excess of 15 million gallons per fiscal year is not eligible for these grants. A one-time grant for the purchase of equipment or establishment or retrofit of production facilities is also available; grants may not exceed either $3 million dollars or 25% of the equipment or construction cost. Additional grant funding up to $50,000 per distributor/site is available for the actual costs of creating storage and distribution capacity for biodiesel. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development must report to the Governor and General Assembly on the performance of the grant program on an annual basis. (Reference Senate Bill 881, 2009, and Connecticut General Statutes 32-324a to 32-324f)
Biofuels Support
The Department of Economic and Community Development is required to administer a fuel diversification grant program to provide funding to Connecticut institutions of higher education or Connecticut institutions of agricultural research for purposes which may include research to promote biofuel production from agricultural products, algae and waste grease, as well as biofuel quality testing. The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development must report to the Governor and General Assembly on the performance of the grant program on an annual basis. (Reference Senate Bill 881, 2009, and Connecticut General Statutes 32-324g)
School Bus Emissions Reduction
Prior to September 1, 2010, each full-sized school bus with an engine model year of 1994 or newer, transporting children in the state, must be equipped with specific emissions control systems, including either: 1) a closed crankcase filtration system and a level 1 device, level 2 device or level 3 device; 2) an engine certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to meet Model Year 2007 emission standards; or 3) use compressed natural gas or other alternative fuel certified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board to reduce particulate matter emissions by at least 85% as compared to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. (Reference Connecticut General Statutes 14-164o)
