CONTACT: Sasha Tenenbaum
Senior Manager, Media and Public Engagement
stenenbaum@momscleanairforce.org
(917) 887-0146
Nevada—Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the recipients of the first round of funding distributed by the Clean School Bus Program, a $5 billion, 5-year investment in clean school buses allocated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law passed by Congress in 2021.
Moms Clean Air Force has worked in Nevada and beyond to educate local school districts about the importance of replacing dirty diesel buses with zero-tailpipe-pollution electric buses and encouraged districts to apply for the program during the application process this summer.
This initial round of funding includes $9.875 million for one Nevada school district, Clark County. The funding will replace 25 dirty diesel buses with electric school buses, and also cover the costs of installing the needed charging infrastructure.
In response, Jenn Cantley, Nevada State Coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force, issued the following statement:
“I, along with two of my sons, are among the 230,431 Nevadans who suffer from asthma. I was recently diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) resulting from long COVID. Because of my family’s health situation, I must check the daily air quality report before we go outside. Clean air is literally lifesaving for us. This is why I’m thrilled that Nevada has been awarded 25 clean, electric school buses that will protect thousands of children from dangerous diesel pollution, a known asthma trigger. Diesel pollution can interfere with children’s ability to learn and has even been linked to cancer. As a parent in a rural community, I think about the children who have to sit on a school bus for up to two hours per day. This is why transitioning away from dirty diesel buses makes our communities safer, allowing everyone to breathe cleaner air. I encourage more Nevada school districts to apply for future rounds of funding so that more little lungs can be protected.”
– Jenn Cantley, Moms Clean Air Force Nevada State Coordinator
BACKGROUND
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $5 billion to help school districts replace dirty diesel buses with electric school buses. The law charged the EPA with distributing the funds over 5 years. School districts submitted the first round of funding applications this August. EPA received so much interest in the rebate program that the agency doubled the amount of funding to be distributed this year, to nearly $1 billion nationwide.
The initial round of funding prioritized low-income, rural, and Tribal school districts. However, all school districts are eligible for funding. EPA will be awarding more money in future years, including $1 billion anticipated for fiscal year 2023. All school districts, whether selected this round or not, should apply for future rounds of funding.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Moms Clean Air Force’s National Statement on EPA’s Clean School Bus Awards
- Electric School Buses Fact Sheet
- How Diesel Pollution Affects Your Health
- Why Electric School Buses Are an Environmental Justice Issue
- Business Insider’s True Cost Video About Electric School Buses