Clark County School District received an inaugural clean air award last month from the American Lung Association Nevada and a local air quality management agency for use of biodiesel and the installation of closed crankcase ventilation systems in its school bus fleet.

The first-place award in the Transportation Efficiency and Innovations category was presented during a luncheon on Nov. 19 by ALAN and the Clark County Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management. The program also recognized government agencies, local business and community groups in the additional areas of educational outreach, indoor air quality, smart growth and green buildings, and biological pollution reduction.

In 2003, Clark County School District also won a U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities award and a separate honor from the Las Vegas Clean Cities Coalition for running its entire fleet of 1,500 school buses on B-20 biodiesel since fall of 2001, the first such program in the nation. Then, in 2008, Clark County installed the closed crankcase ventilation systems in 967 buses.

The projects have resulted in reduced particulate matter, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oil and gaseous emissions throughout the great Las Vegas area and for the children on board.

“We received so many quality projects for the committee to review that the judging committee really had their work cut out for them,” said Allison Newlon Moser, executive director of the ALAN – Las Vegas office. “It is gratifying to know that so much good work is taking place in our community in regards to reducing air pollution, which in turn directly affects lung health.”