By: Stephanie Reese, Director of DEIJ and Strategic Implementation, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: April 17, 2024
Event: EPA Celebration of $16.5 Million Investment in Electric School Buses in Fairfax County, VA
Hello, I'm Stephanie Reese, a Director with Moms Clean Air Force, A community of over 1.5 million parents, caregivers, and volunteers committed to safeguarding our children from pollution and the effects of climate change. I'm also a proud mother of two amazing, energetic boys who love to play outside. We live just 15 minutes away from where we are standing today, to celebrate the EPA’s decision to grant funding to Fairfax County Public Schools that will enable the purchase of 42 electric school buses.
Nothing is more important to Moms Clean Air Force than protecting our children's health from the impacts of air pollution, and today I’m personally very excited about this news.
Every day as my sons go to school we see diesel school buses going in and out of our neighborhood picking up the children that live in our community. We see the smoke billowing behind the buses as they drive down the streets, spewing harmful pollutants into the air, even as they pull up to the eager line of kids waiting to get to school.
The emissions from diesel burning school buses threaten the health of students who ride these buses to and from school everyday. Diesel emissions are filled with harmful particle pollution and smog-forming nitrogen oxide, pollutants that increase the risks of asthma, adverse mental health outcomes, heart disease, and even cancer. These emissions are even more dangerous to children whose bodies are still developing. Diesel school buses in the United States also emit over 5.3 million tons of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
We must also confront the harsh reality of environmental injustices faced by marginalized communities, particularly Black and Brown populations, who bear the disproportionate burden of tailpipe pollution, due to living in communities which are often built closer to highways and other sources of vehicle-based air pollution.
Transportation pollution contributes to the environmental injustice of the climate crisis, too: it’s the largest source of planet-heating carbon pollution in Virginia and in the country. If we want to protect our children’s health and future, we cannot afford to put another fossil fuel-powered bus on the road.
Growing up I remember riding the bus to school and smelling the toxic gasses waft down the aisle as I sat in my seat. That was over 20 years ago, and I don’t want that reality to continue for our children. Today, we stand as witnesses to the changing tides. With every new electric school bus, we are choosing to significantly alleviate tailpipe pollution’s harmful impact on our planet while fostering cleaner air and healthier communities for generations to come.
So, as we celebrate this momentous occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to breathe clean air and thrive in a healthy environment. Together, we can make a difference—for our children, for our communities, and for generations to come. Thank you.