Diesel school buses and electric school buses are hard to tell apart. One way is to look at what kind of ‘fuel’ pump is plugged into them. The other is to measure the type and amount of pollution that comes out of the tailpipe. The environmental benefits of switching to electricity are well established. The cost is another matter, and that’s what has Republicans in the New Jersey legislature fighting tooth and nail against a mandatory changeover. Brent Johnson of NJ.com details how the debate went last Thursday in the Assembly. — Editor
By Brent Johnson, nj.com
A proposal for New Jersey to further explore using electric school buses — which supporters say would benefit both the environment and children’s health — passed the state Assembly this past week despite strong objections from Republicans over cost and other issues.
The bill (A1282) would require the state Department of Environmental Protection to develop a three-year pilot program for as many as 18 school districts in the Garden State to buy battery-powered buses and charging equipment. The state would appropriate $45 million — $15 million a year — to fund the program.
The Democratic-controlled Assembly passed the Democratic-sponsored measure, 47-31, largely along party lines, at the Statehouse in Trenton on Thursday.
Related news stories:
Electric school bus bill sparks debate during N.J. Assembly session (AC Press)
Electric school bus bill sparks debate during N.J. Assembly session (New Jersey Monitor)
SEPTA adds 22 rookie electric buses to its lineup (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Diesel buses stink. Are electric buses the solution for NJ? (nj.com)
Make school buses electric, advocates urge (NJ Spotlight)
Electric school buses are expensive but these 2 ideas could make getting them easier (NJ.com)
Supporters say the goal is to test how reliable and cost-effective it is to transition away from diesel-powered school buses.
Environmentalists have long warned that diesel buses spew pollution into the air and put students at greater risk for respiratory problems and other health issues. They say it’s especially an issue in urban areas where the air is already heavily polluted.
“We’re all talking about the future of our children, the future of generations to come,” said Assemblyman Sterley Stanley, D-Middlesex, a main sponsor.
But the bill sparked a fierce, nearly half-hour debate on the floor of the Assembly on Thursday.
Freshman Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn, R-Monmouth, argued the state should instead spend more money on responding to students’ learning loss and mental health issues in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I thought by the fourth month of being here with you that we would have had bill after bill after bill making sure that we’re funding the learning loss, the mental health needs of our students,” said Flynn, a former school board member in both Nutley and Holmdel. “And today I’m looking at a bill to fund over $15 million for electric buses.”
Don’t miss environmental news like this Click for free updates
