Countywide : $400,000 to Be Spent for Cleaner Air

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to spend nearly $400,000 from a newly created Clean Air Fund.

The money will be used to buy cleaner-operating buses, establish air pollution education programs for teen-agers and heat a high school swimming pool with solar energy.

Voting unanimously, the supervisors agreed that South Coast Area Transit should receive 15 new buses fueled by compressed natural gas with money from the county’s new $1.5-million Clean Air Fund. The buses are expected to cost $300,000.

The supervisors also agreed that $75,000 should be given to the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District to develop an air pollution education program for high school students.

Another $20,000 will be awarded to the Ventura Unified School District to pay for renovation of the solar heating system at Buena High School’s swimming pool.

The Clean Air Fund, believed to be the only one of its kind in the state, was established in 1991 by 3M Co. of Camarillo to provide money for projects that improve air quality in the county.

County officials praised the program.

“I’m just so proud of the people in the county for putting together creative solutions,” said Supervisor Maggie Kildee. “Talk about a win-win for everyone.”