Members of the Alliance for Electric School Buses have expressed support for bipartisan legislation introduced in the House of Representatives to reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. Representatives Jahana Hayes, Buddy Carter, and Greg Landsman co-sponsored the measure, which seeks to extend the program through FY2031, five years beyond its current scheduled expiration.
The Clean School Bus Program, created through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with an initial $5 billion allocation, has distributed $2.6 billion to over 1,100 school districts across 49 states, as well as multiple tribal nations and territories. These funds have been used to deploy more than 8,000 low- or zero-emission school buses to replace older diesel-powered vehicles. The proposed legislation would provide continued funding to expand the initiative further.
Advocacy organizations supporting the Alliance for Electric School Buses, including environmental groups, community organizations, and labor representatives, highlighted multiple benefits associated with transitioning school bus fleets to electric models. According to their statement, electric buses reduce air pollution exposure for students, particularly those in communities disproportionately affected by pollution. The organizations noted additional advantages, including lower operating costs, improved vehicle-to-grid technology capabilities that could return energy to electrical infrastructure, and enhanced user experience for drivers and students.
Demand for the program has exceeded available funding, with thousands of school districts submitting applications requesting more than $7.7 billion in total support. The EPA has responded by increasing grant amounts offered in successive funding rounds, yet demand continues to outpace available resources. The coalition urged Congress to approve the reauthorization legislation to expand access to the program and increase the number of students benefiting from cleaner air quality during their school commutes.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI