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Mirenco Helps Iowa Schools Clear 5 Tons of Soot from the Air

Mirenco Helps Iowa Schools Clear 5 Tons of Soot from the Air

Published 03-26-03

Submitted by Mirenco, Inc.

RADCLIFFE, IA - Mirenco, Inc., (OTCBB:MREO) the contractor for the Bus Emissions Education Program (BEEP), helped Iowa schools clear an estimated five tons of soot from the air through improvements made to Iowa's nearly 5,000 diesel school buses.

Mirenco tests the tailpipe emissions from Iowa's diesel school buses twice each year and manages the emissions database for the non-profit organization known as BEEP, which is a five-year pilot project. Those emissions tests provide diagnostic information to the district that allows them to focus their maintenance dollars on the buses that need the most attention. Black tailpipe smoke signals engine deterioration and a need for immediate maintenance, as well as wasted fuel.

The efforts of Mirenco, and other partners in the project, prevented an estimated five tons of particulate matter from polluting the air. The pilot project also saved Iowa school districts an estimated 8,600 gallons of diesel fuel by operating their buses more efficiently. In addition, schools throughout Iowa saved $4 million in operating costs by extending the life of their buses, according to statistics compiled by Mirenco.

Mirenco calculated the estimated soot reduction and fuel savings for BEEP based on a formula that converts opacity to weight in grams and includes horsepower, fuel usage, and opacity among the 4,702 diesel school buses in Iowa.

Iowa schools cleared the air of five tons of soot by reducing the average opacity level of an Iowa diesel school bus by 16 percent to a reading of 13.7 in the first year of the five-year BEEP pilot project. Mirenco started testing school bus emissions for the pilot project in February of 2002.

Opacity measures the amount of light that is blocked by soot and other particulate matter in tailpipe exhaust. Opacity ranges from zero for clear air to 100 percent blockage when black smoke and raw, unburned fuel are expelled from the tailpipe.

Also, the number of Iowa school buses classified as heavy emitters was cut in half from 128 to 63 in the first year of the emissions testing program. Buses with 55 percent opacity or higher are considered heavy emitters and would fail emissions tests in many states with strict clean-air standards, such as California. In those states, schools with heavy-emitting buses would face fines and the buses could be forced out of service.

The BEEP initiative is the first voluntary school bus emissions testing program in the nation. BEEP is a partnership among Mirenco, Inc., the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, School Administrators of Iowa, and Iowa Pupil Transportation Association.

"Mirenco and the other BEEP partners have shown other states how schools can use emissions data as an essential diagnostic tool for school bus maintenance," said Mirenco CEO Dwayne Fosseen.

"We are proud that Mirenco is a part of this cooperative effort to clear Iowa's air of five tons of soot. But we know this is only the start of what can happen in the future in Iowa and throughout the nation. This formula can easily be replicated in school districts throughout the country," Fosseen said.

About Mirenco

Mirenco, Inc. is a Radcliffe, Iowa based company that specializes in vehicle management technology for improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions in diesel engines. Additional company information is available at www.mirenco.com. Or, contact Mirenco at (800) 423-9903 or via e-mail at info@mirenco.com.

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward-looking in nature. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning Mirenco, Inc. can be found within Mirenco's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this release should be evaluated in light of this additional information.

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