Three SouthCoast communities will receive federal rebates to help purchase new, cleaner school buses.

The Town of Dartmouth and Swansea Public Schools will each receive $20,000 in rebates to replace one school bus, while the Town of Wareham will receive $200,000 to replace ten school buses.

The funding is provided by the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Diesel Program. The goal of the nationwide program is to reduce emissions and ensure cleaner air for communities.

Older diesel engines emit large amounts of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particular matter, which are linked to instances of aggravated asthma, lung damage and other serious health problems. Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution.

The EPA has awarded over $7 million in rebates nationwide to replace or retrofit 400 school buses in 85 fleets across 35 states.

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