About 400 school districts across 50 states and Washington D.C. will receive $1 billion in grants. The school districts will use the grant money to buy 2,500 clean school buses.
The grant is a part of Biden’s administration efforts to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and lower air pollution near schools.
According to AP News, 24 million children ride yellow buses to school daily, so now they’ll have a healthier future.
“We are witnessing around our country and around the world the effects of extreme climate,” she said. “What we’re announcing today is a step forward in our nation’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases, to invest in our economy … to invest in building the skills of America’s workforce. All with the goal of not only saving our children, but for them, saving our planet.
As of last year, only 1% of 480,000 buses used in America were electric. The money for the new buses comes from the federal Clean School Bus program, which includes $5 billion in total.
The Environmental Protection Agency said they already received 2,000 applications for over 12,000 green buses. 95% of the approved bus purchases will be electric, and the other will run on compressed natural gas or propane.
School districts are making low-income, rural areas a priority. The buses are expected to be delivered by the start of the next school year or by the end of 2023.
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