Wednesday, the Biden-Harris administration announced the fiscal year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding nearly $11.1 million from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 13 school districts in Iowa. The grants will help school districts purchase 30 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister will mark this historic investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law during a morning event on Tuesday, Nov. 1, with the Sidney Community School District in Sidney, Iowa. McCollister will be joined by Sidney Mayor Kenneth Brown and Sidney School District Superintendent Tim Hood.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join schoolchildren, district leaders, and community members in Seattle later today to make the announcement and highlight how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children's health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
"President Biden's historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation's transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children's health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve."
"Too many of our school children ride old and unsafe buses that pollute the air and this has been directly tied to asthma," said U.S. Representative Cindy Axne (IA-3). "I am pleased to see money I helped secure by voting for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law make its way back to Iowa. This investment in Sidney's school buses will reduce air pollution and improve the health of students and the community."
"The announcement of $11.1 million for Iowa school districts to purchase 30 clean school buses could not come at a better time," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. "As EPA wraps up Children's Health Month, this investment in electric school buses represents the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to the health of our children and to reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases in our communities."
Iowa school districts receiving clean school bus funding through Wednesday's announcement include:
Albert City-Truesdale Community School District -- One school bus for $395,000
Andrew Community School District -- Two school buses for $790,000
BCLUW Community School District -- Two school buses for $790,000
IKM-Manning Community School District -- One school bus for $395,000
Central Lee Community School District -- Two school buses for $790,000
Coon Rapids-Bayard Community School District -- One school bus for $395,000
Delwood Community School District -- Two school buses for $790,000
Easton Valley Community School District -- Three school buses for $1,185,000
Logan-Magnolia Community School District -- Five school buses for $1,975,000
North Iowa Community School District -- Two school buses for $60,000
Sidney Community School District -- Three school buses for $1,185,000
Twin Cedars Community School District -- Four school buses for $1,580,000
West Sioux Community School District -- Two school buses for $790,000
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the Agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and/or tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the Agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in fiscal year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates -- and those that did not apply this funding cycle -- to participate in future rounds.
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students' health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.
Categories: Iowa, Education, Energy