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South Dakota's public school districts can apply for federal grants to get buses that emit less pollution.
The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources says it will accept grant applications until Dec. 21. The grants help schools buy new buses outfitted with emission controls or retrofit some buses with emission controls.
The department has awarded 89 grants totaling about $2.5 million since the Clean Diesel Grant Program started in 2009. The grants have helped school district buy 62 new buses and 14 exhaust-control retrofits.
Officials say the main goal of the program is to reduce school children's exposure to fine particulates and smog-forming pollution.
