Historic investment of President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill went to all 50 states in an effort to transform the US school bus fleet
WASHINGTON (October 26, 2022) – Today the Biden-Harris Administration announced fiscal year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program discount contest, which awards nearly $1 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 389 school districts across 50 states, Washington, DC, and several tribes and American territories. The grants will help school districts purchase more than 2,400 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, along with schoolchildren, district leaders and community members in Seattle, Washington, will make the announcement later today highlighting how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money and will better protect children’s health. The investment will also boost demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic production and create high-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s landmark bipartisan infrastructure bill is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Every day, as many as 25 million children depend on the bus to go to school. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in the health of our children, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution and provide the clean, breathable air all our children deserve.”
In May, EPA announced the $500 million availability for the Clean School Bus program. Given the overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, tribal nations and territories, EPA has almost doubled the amount of funding that will be allocated to $965 million. The discount application period closed in August with an excellent response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
To date, the agency has selected 389 applications through a lottery system totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will hand out awards to school districts in all 50 states and Washington DC, along with several federally recognized tribes and US territories. School districts identified as priority areas for low-income, rural and or tribal students make up 99% of the selected projects. More applications are being reviewed and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Awarded school districts can now proceed to purchase new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selected individuals must submit payment request forms with purchase orders certifying that they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also working with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also planning next rounds of funding for programs that will begin in the coming months, including an ambitious grant competition. Through future funding rounds, EPA will make an additional $1 billion available for clean school buses in fiscal year 2023. EPA encourages school districts that weren’t selected in the first round of rebates — and those that didn’t apply this funding cycle — to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from diesel has been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, especially in communities of color and tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will provide cleaner air for students, bus drivers and school staff who work near the bus charging stations and the communities the buses pass through every day. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help address the transport sector’s disproportionate role in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus discounts will prioritize low-income, rural and tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to increased funding for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them most. The program also meets that of President Biden Justice40 Initiativewhich aims to deliver 40% of the total benefits of certain federal investments to underserved communities that are marginalized, deprived and overburdened by pollution.
Check out the full list of Clean School Bus award winners here.
Table thanks to EPA.gov
Thanks to US EPA.
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