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Deadline for grant applications is May 31

Columbus, Ohio - Funding is still available to school districts wanting to make the switch to soy biodiesel to fuel their school buses through the School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Department of Development. The deadline for applications is May 31, and the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC) is offering grant application assistance to any interested schools.

''This is an excellent opportunity for school districts throughout Ohio to make a change that will have a positive impact on so many levels,'' said Tom Fontana of the Ohio Soybean Council. ''There are parents, school board members, school administrators and others who have wanted to make the switch to soy biodiesel, and now they have the financial assistance to make it happen.''

The School Bus Soy Biodiesel Grant Program was created in Governor Strickland's biennium budget in 2007 and will offset any cost difference between B20 soy biodiesel (20 percent soy biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel) and conventional petroleum diesel. OSC has been promoting the use of soy biodiesel in school buses through the Clean Air for Kids campaign.

School districts are eligible for a maximum of $25,000 and grants will be awarded on a first come-first served basis within four weeks of approval. Applicants will be required to provide information about their fleets, refueling practices and estimates of B20 soy biodiesel to be used. Grants will be paid on a reimbursement basis.

It's easy for schools to get on board with the program because B20 soy biodiesel performs just like conventional diesel and can be used in any diesel engine without modifications. Additionally, soy biodiesel is made from soybeans, a renewable resource grown in Ohio. Studies show soy biodiesel also offers benefits such as fewer emissions and provides a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter - important issues when school children are nearby. In fact, soy biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the rigorous Health Effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act.

School officials can apply for the grant money through the Clean Air for Kids website, or call 888-SOY-OHIO for more information.