Chapter Trans 135

Trans 135.06(1) (1) Eligibility. Grants may be issued only to school districts or school bus companies that own or lease one or more school buses routinely used to transport students to and from school in the counties identified in s. 110.20 (5), Stats. Grants may be issued only to retrofit qualifying buses that were manufactured in any of the 1999 through 2004 model years. Applicants may apply for more than one grant, but only one oxidation catalyst per vehicle is allowed under the grant program.

Trans 135.06 Note Note: For example, previously retrofitted buses are not eligible for further retrofit grants.

Trans 135.06(2) (2) Grant request process. Grant applicants shall be required to submit a grant request providing all information required by the department of natural resources. Grant requests shall be accepted throughout the year. The department of natural resources shall expeditiously evaluate requests as received. Once completed, the results of the evaluation shall be reported promptly to the applicant.

Trans 135.06(3) (3) Information requirements. The grant request shall include information necessary to determine how well the proposed grant will meet the program’s goals. At a minimum, the grant request shall include the following:

Trans 135.06(3)(a) (a) The number of oxidation catalysts sought.

Trans 135.06(3)(b) (b) The model year of each bus to be retrofitted with an oxidation catalyst.

Trans 135.06(3)(c) (c) The vehicle identification number, or other unique identifier, of each bus.

Trans 135.06(3)(d) (d) The county in which each bus operates.

Trans 135.06(3)(e) (e) Any other vehicle-specific information that the department of natural resources deems to be helpful in evaluating the merits of each grant request.

Trans 135.06(4) (4) Grant review criteria. The department of natural resources may award grants only for the purpose of equipping school buses that are customarily kept, and serve school districts, in the counties identified in s. 110.20 (5), Stats., with oxidation catalysts. At a minimum, grant requests shall be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Trans 135.06(4)(a) (a) Timeliness of grant request. This criterion does not apply to requests received within 30 days of May 1, 2005. After that date, grant request review and resultant issuance of grants shall be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Trans 135.06(4)(b) (b) Model year of buses to be retrofitted. Preference shall be given first to model year 2004 buses, then model years 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999 buses, respectively.

Trans 135.06(4)(c) (c) Usage level, with preference given to higher-capacity buses and buses that are used more intensively for transporting students.

Trans 135.06(5) (5) Grant amounts. Subject to fund availability and the result of the grant request review process, grant applicants may receive a grant for an amount sufficient to cover the purchase of the requested number of diesel oxidation catalysts. The department of natural resources may also, at its discretion and according to criteria established in this section, award a grant for fewer oxidation catalysts than the number requested. Grant amounts may exceed the purchase cost only for the exception established in sub. (6). Grants may not be used to pay for any vehicle operation or maintenance costs, even if the costs are associated with retrofitted oxidation catalysts.

Trans 135.06(6) (6) Exception. Grant applicants unable to install the diesel oxidation catalysts may request, and may receive, a grant sufficient to pay for both purchase and installation of the catalysts. Applicants under this subsection shall provide sufficient explanation of their inability to install the catalysts.

Trans 135.06(7) (7) Grant award conditions. Upon receiving notification of a grant, each recipient shall be required to:

Trans 135.06(7)(a) (a) Sign a statement certifying that, barring unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, for at least 5 years each retrofitted bus will comply with all of the following:

Trans 135.06(7)(a)1. 1. Remain in the applicant’s possession.

Trans 135.06(7)(a)2. 2. Operate in its current capacity as a school bus.

Trans 135.06(7)(a)3. 3. Operate predominantly in one or more of the counties identified in s. 110.20 (5), Stats.

Trans 135.06(7)(b) (b) Sign a statement certifying that, to the extent possible, the applicant will undertake anti-idling measures for each bus on which an oxidation catalyst is installed.

Trans 135.06(7)(c) (c) Agree to schedule all oxidation catalyst installations within 30 days of delivery.

Trans 135.06(8) (8) Reporting requirements. For each bus retrofitted under this grant program, within 90 days of the grant award date anniversary, the grant recipient to the best of its ability shall report the following information to the department of natural resources annually:

Trans 135.06(8)(a) (a) Annual hours of operation.

Trans 135.06(8)(b) (b) Annual miles traveled.

Trans 135.06(8)(c) (c) Estimated annual number of students transported.

Trans 135.06(8)(d) (d) Area in which the bus customarily transported students.

Trans 135.06(8)(e) (e) The extent to which the recipient has practiced anti-idling measures over the past year.

Trans 135.06 History History: CR 04-090: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.

Trans 135.07 Trans 135.07 Grant program termination. The department shall cease to encumber funds for the grant program as soon as the total grant fund amount has been spent or on June 30, 2008, whichever is earlier.

Trans 135.07 History History: CR 04-090: cr. Register April 2005 No. 592, eff. 5-1-05.