CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Settlement with New York utility will pay for retrofitting of school buses to cut pollution

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Money from a state settlement with a western New York utility will be used to retrofit school buses to reduce air pollution.
State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said Rochester Gas & Electric, which is a subsidiary of Energy East Corp., settled violations at its Russell Power Plant last February.

The utility agreed to replace the plant with a cleaner one, pay a $200,000 civil penalty and fund $500,000 worth of clean energy projects.

On Wednesday, Grannis said the clean energy money will be used to purchase and install emissions control equipment on public and private school bus fleets in Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans and Wayne counties.