AUSTIN, Texas — School districts in Texas will have more ways to pay for emissions control devices and school buses, as three groups align to distribute millions in grants.

Under one program, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will give $8 million in grants to help school districts purchase closed crankcase filters, diesel particulate filters, diesel oxidation catalysts and partial flow-through filters. Last year, the program spent $5 million retrofitting approximately 2,600 school buses, according to TCEQ grants coordinator Joe Briseno. This year, the TCEQ has partnered with the program to let more regional PTAs and district superintendents know about the program.

Under a separate program, the Texas PTA will help distribute funds collected from environmental fines against area companies to finance school bus retrofit projects. Andrea Morrow, a spokesman for the TCEQ, said nine groups have sought the funds since the PTA agreed to the program in July.

A third program, through the Texas Emissions Program (TERP), will distribute approximately $297 million in 2008 and 2009. While this program is not exclusive to school buses, TCEQ’s Paul Munguia said districts in areas designed as ‘non-attainment’ could apply for the funds to replaces buses that would otherwise be too old to make use of retrofit emissions control devices.

TCEQ’s Clean School Bus Program is accepting applications through Dec. 15. Find more information at www.texascleanschoolbus.org or by calling (512) 239-3100.