The White House announced over $900 million in grants to 530 school districts to replace ageing, gas-powered school buses with cleaner, primarily electric alternatives. This financing is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) $5 billion clean school bus programme, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021.
This current batch of money will go towards the acquisition of 3,400 school buses, with 92% being electric. Approximately 67% of the cash will go to school districts in low-income, indigenous, and rural communities.
The EPA’s clean school bus effort is an important part of President Joe Biden’s overall strategy to improve public school facilities and minimise pollution from outdated buses. It is consistent with Biden’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, divert government climate investments to underprivileged regions, and increase demand for American-made electric vehicles.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan emphasised the initiative’s broader implications, saying, “This news is more than just clean school buses. It is about improving air quality for our children, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening our country’s leadership in the development of clean automobiles.” He also stated that the increasing demand for electric school buses will result in the establishment of new manufacturing jobs and investments in local firms.
