EPA doubles money for electric school buses as demand soars
The Environmental Protection Agency says it will nearly double — to almost $1 billion — the money available for states to acquire electric school buses
WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to “overwhelming demand,” the Environmental Protection Agency is nearly doubling the money available to states to buy electric models of the familiar yellow school buses that millions of children ride every school day.
The EPA made $500 million available for clean buses in May, but is increasing that to $965 million for districts across the country. An additional $1 billion is expected to be available in the budget year that begins Saturday.
In the current year, the agency said it has received about 2,000 applications requesting nearly $4 billion for more than 12,000 buses, mostly electric.
“America’s school districts delivered this message loud and clear: We must replace older, dirty diesel school buses,″ EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement Thursday. “Together, we can reduce climate pollution, improve air quality and reduce the risk of health impacts like asthma for as many as 25 million children who ride the bus every day."
