An electric school bus, leased by Beverly Public Schools in Beverly, Mass., rests in a bus yard, Oct. 21, 2021, in Beverly, Mass.
Michael Casey / AP Photo
(Katelynn Richardson) – Nevada’s Clark County School District has been awarded $9.8 million by the Environmental Protection Agency to purchase electric school buses.
Of the total funding, $$9.375 million will be used to replace 25 buses from 2010 and 2011, and $500,000 will be used to purchase charging infrastructure.
Electric buses cost three to four times more than diesel-fueled buses.
The CCSD Board of School Trustees will vote to accept the funds at a future meeting.
“Funding from the EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program will enable CCSD to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models,” said Superintendent Jesus F. Jara in a statement. “CCSD will adopt these cutting-edge transportation technologies to benefit our southern Nevada community by reducing emissions, improving air quality, and reducing environmental impacts.”
Governor Steve Sisolak said the funding would move the region “closer to our goals to reduce our carbon footprint, improve air quality and better protect the health of our children and families.”
“Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions across Nevada and drives disproportionate pollution burdens for historically marginalized communities,” he said. “Adding more electric school buses will benefit families across Southern NV.”
The grant comes from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It will award $5 billion to districts over the next five years. Nearly $1 billion has already been awarded to purchase 2,500 buses nationwide during the 2022 program.
Vice President Kamala Harris joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan in Seattle last week to announce the program.
By
Katelynn Richardson | The Center Square
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