Oregon School Districts Get Funding For Electric Buses

Photo: Getty Images

The Biden-Harris Administration announced the recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. In Oregon, ten school districts will receive over $22.6 million to replace 96 older school buses with new electric or propane buses. The Program will help Oregon accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and to replace older diesel school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities.

“EPA’s Clean School Bus Program is a breath of fresh air for our students, schools and communities,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller. “Diesel pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health, with impacts felt disproportionately in communities of color and Tribal communities. Clean School Bus grants provide much-needed resources for school districts to upgrade aging fleets, replacing diesel buses with new zero-emission and clean school buses. Pulling older diesel buses off the road will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff.”

“Every child—regardless of the color of their skin, their zip code, or how much money their parents make—should be able to travel to and from school without having to be exposed to toxins and dangerous air pollution that drives asthma and other diseases,” said Senator Jeff Merkley. “These continued historic investments will help support several Oregon school districts to purchase electric school buses to keep the air cleaner for our kids and save school districts money. I’ll keep fighting for the investments and legislation we need to upgrade school bus fleets around Oregon.”

·Eugene School District has been selected to receive $100,000 in rebate funding to purchase four propane school buses.

·Gresham-Barlow School District has been selected to receive $2,020,000 in rebate funding to purchase 10 electric school buses.

·North Marion School District has been selected to receive $910,000 in rebate funding to purchase five electric school buses.

·Elkton School District has been selected to receive $2,070,000 in rebate funding to purchase six electric school buses.

·Ashland School District has been selected to receive $200,000 in rebate funding to purchase one electric school bus.

·Pendleton School District has been selected to receive $4,165,000 in rebate funding to purchase 13 electric school buses.

·McMinnville School District has been selected to receive $2,000,000 in rebate funding to purchase 10 electric school buses.

·North Douglas School District has been selected to receive $1,380,000 in rebate funding to purchase four electric school buses.

·La Grande School District has been selected to receive $2,020,000 in rebate funding to purchase 10 electric school buses.

·Hood River County School District has been selected to receive $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase two electric school buses.

·Morrow School District has been selected to receive $2,800,000 in rebate funding to purchase 14 electric school buses.

·Neah-Kah-Nie School District has been selected to receive $1,725,000 in rebate funding to purchase five electric school buses.

·Yoncalla School District has been selected to receive $1,035,000 in rebate funding to purchase three electric school buses.

·Umatilla School District has been selected to receive $1,600,000 in rebate funding to purchase eight electric school buses.

·Corbett School District has been selected to receive $200,000 in rebate funding to purchase one electric school bus.

In September 2023, the EPA announced the availability of at least $500 million for its 2023 Clean School Bus rebates. The rebate application period closed in February 2024 with an outstanding response from school districts across the country seeking to purchase electric and clean school buses. Given the overwhelming demand, including in low-income communities and Tribal nations, EPA doubled the amount of available funding to nearly $1 billion.

This third round of funding will build on the previous almost $2 billion investment via the 2022 Rebates and 2023 Grants to further improve air quality in and around schools, reduce greenhouse gas pollution fueling the climate crisis, and help accelerate America’s leadership in developing the clean vehicles of the future.

The selections announced today will provide funds to school districts in 47 states, along with several federally recognized Tribes. Prioritized school districts in low-income, rural, and Tribal communities make up approximately 45 percent of the selected projects and will receive approximately 67 percent of the total funding.

EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses this year. There is a small subset of tentatively selected applicants still engaged in the application review process. EPA is working with them and will notify these applicants of an award if their application meets all program requirements. As additional selections are finalized, EPA will update the CSB webpage.

EPA will also make selections through additional rounds of funding, as well as through other funding programs. For example, EPA is currently accepting applications for the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program until July 25 – with EPA offering nearly $1 billion in available grant funding and anticipates approximately 70% of the available funding to fund new, zero-emission Class 6 or 7 school buses. EPA encourages school districts not selected for the 2023 CSB Rebate Program – and those that did not apply – to participate in currently open funding programs, and future CSB funding rounds.

View the full list of Clean School Bus Program awards here – epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/clean-school-bus-program-awards.

Source: Biden Administration