Clean School Bus Program Funding Primarily Supports Electric Busses

The nearly $1 billion investment from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program announced Wednesday is largely for electric busses. Through a lottery system, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95 percent of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states and Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99 percent of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks. Funding for the effort comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure law to “build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve,” according to EPA Administrator Michael Regan.