Minnesota Power to Support School Bus Emission Program.

DULUTH, Minn. -- Minnesota Power, a division of Duluth-based ALLETE, Inc. (NYSE:ALE) announced today it will donate $75,000 to Project Green Fleet, a unique statewide pollution control initiative aimed at reducing emissions from school bus engines.

"Technology now exists to significantly reduce these emissions," said Dennis Niemi, Director-Environmental Services. "Project Green Fleet offers high emission reduction opportunities relative to cost and is a real-world solution that is well worth the investment."

Project Green Fleet will help school districts and other school bus operators reduce diesel emissions by installing pollution-control equipment on Minnesota school buses to make them cleaner and safer for our students and their communities. By installing diesel retrofit equipment on school buses, the group hopes to reduce certain outdoor air pollutants generated from the bus by 40 to 90 percent and dramatically reduce the level of pollution inside the bus. Statewide, Project Green Fleet hopes to retrofit at least 500 school buses by the end of 2007. Locally, Project Green Fleet has already initiated discussions with several interested school districts.

Niemi urged other companies in the region to join in this effort. Project Green Fleet is a partnership between businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations to reduce pollution emitted from Minnesota school buses and to protect children's health.