(AGENPARL) – gio 27 ottobre 2022 Biden-Harris Administration Announces $9,875,000 from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for Nevada Schools
Historic investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law headed to all 50 states in effort to transform America’s school bus fleet
SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding nearly $9,900,000 from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to schools in Clark County, Nevada. The grants will help Clark County purchase 25 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 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. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, 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 ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”
The school district selected met one or more of EPA’s prioritization criteria for low income, high need, rural, or tribal schools. Additionally, the selected school district qualified under the Tribal prioritization. 100% of the funding will be used to purchase zero emission electric buses and charging infrastructure for schools in Clark County.
“Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions across Nevada and drives disproportionate pollution burdens for historically marginalized communities,” said Governor Steve Sisolak. “Thanks to this $9.875 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clark County School District will be able to adopt 25 electric school buses into its fleet, and we will move closer to our goals to reduce our carbon footprint, improve air quality and better protect the health of our schoolchildren and families living in Nevada’s most vulnerable communities.”
“I’m proud to announce Clark County Schools will receive nearly $10 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped write and pass,” said Senator Jacky Rosen. “This critical funding will invest in our schools’ transportation system while decreasing our carbon footprint.”
“As we continue on the path toward a clean economy, clean transportation is a key piece of the puzzle. This funding for clean school buses right here in southern Nevada will reduce pollution in our air while reducing health risks for our children,” said U.S. Representative Susie Lee. “I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make this funding a reality, and I will continue to work to ensure that we create a cleaner, more sustainable future for our children.”
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, 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% 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.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and 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 designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not 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. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector 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.
Environmental Protection Agency, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 United States