January 9, 2024
SEATTLE — On January 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Oregon and Washington will receive $51,148,500 for the purchase of 144 clean school buses across urban and rural areas.
Across the Nation, 67 applicants will receive nearly $1 billion through EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. In the Pacific Northwest:
“EPA is proud to partner with local school districts to bring electric school buses and cleaner air to communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. Children are most at risk for respiratory illnesses caused by diesel particulates so helping electrify school bus fleets is an investment in our kids’ health and their future,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Any action we can take to reduce the incidence of asthma and other health issues children experience is the right thing to do.”
- Beaverton School District, Oregon, will receive $19,750,000 to purchase 50 buses
- First Student Inc. will receive $16,500,000 to purchase 46 buses for both states
- RWC Group will receive $11,148,500 to purchase 33 buses across Washington
- Walla Walla Public Schools, Washington, will receive $3,750,000 to purchase 15 buses
“We are thrilled by today’s announcement. These additional 40 buses are critical for our children and schools. We’ve seen tremendous benefits to our kids’ physical and mental health. Not only do we see fewer asthma attacks because of electric buses, we also see calmer, happier kids because they no longer have to shout to hear each other over noisy diesel engines,” said Governor Jay Inslee. “These awards supercharge Washington’s efforts to be a leader in converting to clean, quiet electric buses. I’ve proposed $30 million in my budget to fund 80 additional electric buses and charging infrastructure. Thanks to Senator Murray, Administrator Regan, EPA, and President Biden for their partnership in building the future our children and communities deserve.”
“Students across the state rely on school buses to get them to and from school safely every day. The Clean School Bus grants announced by the Biden-Harris Administration will make those buses cleaner for more students. The grants will improve air quality to protect the health of our students and aid in our efforts to combat climate change in Oregon,” said Governor Tina Kotek.
EPA’s Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from older diesel engines 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. Efforts to minimize the effects of these older 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.
“Getting more clean school buses on our roads is a win for students, our planet, and our economy—and that’s exactly what I had in mind when I created this program,” Sen. Patty Murray said. “Out of every 20 school buses in our country, 19 still use diesel fuel, and that means far too many kids and drivers are breathing in polluted air every time they board an old diesel school bus. Replacing these buses with cleaner alternatives just makes sense, and I’m thrilled to see that $15 million from my Clean School Bus Program is going out the door to help school districts across Washington state electrify their fleets.”
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.
“Currently Washington state students rely on a fleet of 10,000 buses powered by costly diesel fuel. Investing in cleaner school buses will help lower air pollution around schools and reduce school district fueling and maintenance expenses,” Sen. Maria Cantwell said.
EPA’s Clean School Bus Program will benefit school districts as they upgrade to cost saving and fuel-efficient school bus fleets, by replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses and freeing up needed resources for schools.
“Every child—regardless of the color of their skin, their zip code, or how much money their parents make—should be able to travel to and from school without having to be exposed to toxins and dangerous air pollution that drives asthma and other diseases,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley. “This historic investment will secure support for several Oregon school districts to purchase electric school buses to keep the air cleaner for our kids and save school districts money. I’ll keep fighting for the investments and legislation we need to upgrade school bus fleets around Oregon.”
“In my many open-to-all town hall meetings throughout the state, I hear from Oregonians concerned about climate change, which is why I am a strong supporter of the Clean School Bus Program and authored historic clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act,” said Sen. Ron Wyden. “These clean-bus resources will go a long way in increasing school transit services while helping to ensure a brighter future for our students.”
Background
EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replaces existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. Today’s Clean School Bus grants are the second round of selections announced for the newly created program. EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses in additional rounds of funding.
EPA is currently accepting applications for the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program until January 31, 2024. EPA encourages applicants not selected for the 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program – and those that did not apply – to participate in current and future funding rounds.
