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

BALTIMORE — 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 $9.4 million to help Baltimore City Public Schools pay for the 25 electric school buses the district requested.

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

Baltimore City was the only Maryland community to receive money in the first round of the program. Other school districts in Maryland, and across the United States, can apply for the future rounds of funding.

In response, Maryland PIRG Director Emily Scarr issued the following statement:

“This is a breath of fresh air for Baltimore parents and families. Electric school buses will protect our kids’ health and reduce air pollution for all Baltimoreans. Electric school buses will also save our school system money on fuel and maintenance. As this announcement makes clear, our schools and communities are ready to go electric — they just need the resources to get there.”