PAULA TRACY photo New Hampshire Office of Strategic Initiatives Director Jared Chicoine, standing, speaks to the members of the Executive Council and Gov. Chris Sununu on Wednesday.

CONCORD – Using money the state received from a settlement with Volkswagen, Manchester will swap out about 14 diesel school buses and replace them with cleaner ones that use propane.

The deal, which is being handled by the state Office of Strategic Initiatives in conjunction with the Manchester Transit Authority, will help clean up the air and improve the environment, Office of Strategic Initiatives Director Jared Chicoine.

About $750,000 will come from a settlement with the German automaker after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency went to court alleging that the VWs were violating the Clean Air Act by selling approximately 590,000 vehicles that emitted higher than standard levels of oxides of nitrogen.

The Executive Council approved the contract on Wednesday to reduce air pollution. As part of the settlements, Volkswagen is required to provide $2.7 billion for the 2.0-liter violating vehicles and $225 million for the 3.0-liter violating vehicles to an Environmental Mitigation Trust.

This, EPA officials argue, is to fully remediate the number of excess oxides of nitrogen emissions from the vehicles in question.

The company also was involved in buybacks and modification offers. The trust agreements require that the funds can be used by states to replace dirty vehicles, provided they recycle the old vehicles.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department recently agreed to purchase a number of trucks for its fleet, also using this Volkswagen fund, while it got about 52% of the eligible expenses reimbursed by the trust.

Beneficiaries are all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and federally recognized tribes. To get these funds for public use, Manchester had to agree to use the new propane buses for at least five years, make no modifications to the emission controls on them and make all maintenance records available. A total of $1.4 million for the MTA buses will be spent.

Wagner Retiring

In other Executive Council action, it received a letter of intent to retire from New Hampshire State Police Col. Christopher Wagner as of March 2.

Wagner, a resident of Litchfield, said he is “eternally grateful” for the great people, partnerships and relationships he formed.

“As I move into my 25th year with state police and fourth year as the Colonel, I am continually reminded about the exceptional commitment, can-do spirit and resolve of our employees. I could not be more proud of their hard work and persistence as they set out each and every day performing their duties,” Wagner wrote.

Council members also agreed to acquire the fee title to 123 acres in the town of Sutton for $110,000 for the state Fish and Game Department.

Known as the Daniel Holland Tract, the land is adjacent to a 118-acre wildlife management area and the department held an easement. It will become part of the Cascade Marsh Wildlife Management Area. The purchase is coming from federal funds for wildlife habitat.

It also authorized the state Division of Forests and Lands to exchange with the town of Hopkinton at no cost to the state, 30 acres of state-owned land known as “Contoocook State Forest” for a 97-acre parcel of land known as the “Hopkinton Town Forest” that abuts Mast Yard State Forest.

In New Hampshire, the Executive Council has the authority and responsibility, together with Gov. Chris Sununu, over the administration of the affairs of the state. Each of the five councilors represents one fifth of the population, or approximately 263,000 residents.

Democrats on the council are Executive Councilors Andru Volinsky of Concord, Michael Cryans of Hanover and Debora Pignatelli of Nashua. Republicans include Ted Gatsas of Manchester and Russell Prescott of Kingston.

Paula Tracy of InDepthNH.org can be reached at 603-738-5635.