From the Environmental Protection Agency
Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selections to receive rebates under the 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, including rebates to benefits kids in New Jersey.
Eleven school districts in New Jersey will benefit from a total of over $12 million in rebates that will provide almost 70 clean school buses. The program will help New Jersey accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and to replace older, diesel school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities.
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 outstanding response from school districts across the country seeking to purchase electric and clean school buses. Given the overwhelming demand, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations and U.S. territories, EPA doubled the amount of available funding to nearly $1 billion.
This third round of funding will build on the previous almost $2 billion investment via the 2022 Rebates and 2023 Grants to further improve air quality in and around schools, reduce greenhouse gas pollution fueling the climate crisis, and help accelerate America’s leadership in developing the clean vehicles of the future.
The selections announced today will provide funds to school districts in 47 states and Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. Prioritized school districts in low-income, rural, and Tribal communities make up approximately 45 percent of the selected projects and will receive approximately 67 percent of the total funding. The program delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
The EPA is also partnering with the Joint Office of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
