Twenty four Wisconsin School Districts secured funding from the EPAs Clean School Bus Program (Photo/Karen Stokes)
By Karen Stokes
The Biden-Harris Administration announced the winners of the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, funded by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
Milwaukee School District secured over $7.4 million. The state of Wisconsin received $22.9 million in funding distributed among 24 school districts.
EPA Administrator Michael S Regan (Photo/AP News)
“Everyday 25 million kids across the nation take a bus to and from school. Those yellow school buses we all know and remember run on engines that pump toxic chemicals into the air. They harm our environment, contribute to climate change and put everyone in their path at risk from students to the bus driver to everyday residents living in the community,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan on a press call.
The EPA selected around 530 school districts across nearly every state, Washington, D.C., several Tribes, and U.S. territories to receive nearly $900 million to replace older, diesel-fueled school buses linked to health issues affecting students and surrounding communities.
These rebates will help school districts purchase over 3,400 clean school buses, 92% of which will be electric to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
To be selected for the rebate, school districts are required to fill out a rebate form and are then entered into a lottery.
Under the Program’s multiple grant and rebate funding opportunities to date, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 8,500 school bus replacements at over 1,000 schools.
The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs for Americans.
“President Biden believes every child deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy life and breathe clean air, and his Investing in America agenda is designed to deliver just that,” said Regan. “With today’s latest round of funding, we are transforming the nation’s school bus fleet to better protect our most precious cargo—our kids–saving school districts money, improving air quality, and bolstering American manufacturing all at the same time.”
In September 2023, the EPA announced the availability of at least $500 million for its 2023 Clean School Bus rebates. The rebate application period closed in February 2024 with an overwhelming response from school districts across the country seeking to purchase electric and clean school buses. Given the level of demand, including from low-income communities, Tribal nations and U.S. territories, EPA doubled the initial amount of available funding in this round to a total of nearly $1 billion.
The Program will save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.