The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has selected participants for the 2022-23 Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program, including South Panola School District. 

Twenty-five school districts applied for the replacement of 58 school buses, and 13 school districts were selected. Each will receive a rebate of up to $23,093 to replace one older diesel school bus with a new diesel school bus.

The Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) State Grants Program. 

The goal of the Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program is to reduce emissions from diesel school buses through the early retirement of older, pre-2010 model year buses. 

Since implementing the program in 2014, the Mississippi Diesel School Bus Replacement Program has provided over $2.4 million to 63 school districts for the purchase and replacement of 145 school buses.