On May 22, 2019, Tennessee announced the recipients of $8,854,685.42 in VW Settlement grants to replace older models of diesel school buses with newer and cleaner alternatives. The funding will help replace 143 older diesel school buses with one electric, 68 diesel, 66 propane, and eight CNG school buses. 39 school districts across the state were selected to receive grants in this funding cycle.
This grant announcement represents the first allocation of VW Settlement funds in Tennessee. The Tennesee Department of Environment & Conservation estimates that these replacements will reduce NOx emissions by almost 60 tons over the lifetime of the buses. 71 of the 143 buses set to be replaced will operate in nonattainment and “economically distressed” areas.
