Statement: EPA’s Clean School Bus program delivers for California

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will deliver $913 million in Clean School Bus funding to 389 school districts. The first installment of the five-year, $5 billion rebate program includes $68 million to help schools in California pay for 177 electric school buses. 

This funding, passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework of 2021, will support the purchase of 2,493 new school buses nationwide, 95% which will be electric. 

Twenty-one school districts in California are receiving funding in this first round, with Compton Unified and Montebello Unified receiving enough to purchase 25 electric school buses each and Stockton Unified enough to purchase 20. Other school districts in California, and across the United States, can apply for the future rounds of funding.

In response, CALPIRG Director Jenn Engstrom issued the following statement:

“This is a breath of fresh air for California parents and families. Electric school buses will protect our kids’ health, reduce air pollution and save schools money on fuel and maintenance. It’s clear our schools and communities are ready to go electric — they just need the resources to get there.”