EPA Celebrates Greener and Cleaner Schools at Event in Pellston, Michigan
CHICAGO (Sept. 8, 2023) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore joined Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Director Phil Roos, school officials and partners at a back-to-school event in Pellston, Mich., to highlight investments in protecting children’s health. This school year, thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, students are going back to school with more opportunities for the greener and cleaner future they deserve.
“EPA believes our children deserve a cleaner and greener future. That’s why this administration is Investing in America through historic investments in the Clean School Bus program and others,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Local leaders, like Superintendent Seelye in Pellston, Michigan, are critical to bringing these investments to their communities and their students.”
Regional Administrator Shore started the day with a meet-and-greet with Pellston Public School students and representatives from the Michigan Clean School Bus Coalition, including Moms Clean Air Force. The Regional Administrator toured middle and high school students’ new solar canopy and hoop house before joining primary school students for Pellston Public School’s first Air Quality Flag raising. Starting now, the school will check EPA’s Air Quality Index in Pellston every school day and raise a flag indicating the status of the air quality.
“Pellston Public Schools couldn’t be more thrilled or appreciative regarding our partnership with the EPA,” said Pellston Public Schools Superintendent Stephen C. Seelye. “The $1.58 million rebate for four new electric school buses has had a positive effect countless ways in our district. They complement our hoop house and solar array. The clean energy initiatives have inspired us to look towards a roof replacement and large solar array on our entire high school roof next summer.”
Regional Administrator Shore then joined Michigan Clean School Bus Coalition partners and school board members for a ride over the Mackinac Bridge on one of Pellston’s new electric school buses. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA provided a $1.58 million rebate to the Pellston Public Schools District to buy four electric school buses this year. EPA’s Clean School Bus Program is helping communities like Pellston reduce emissions from older diesel school buses and improve air quality in and around schools, saving schools money and creating clean energy jobs.
“President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is having an incredible impact on the people of the state of Michigan, including right here in Pellston who just received new electric school buses from the BIL’s Clean School Bus Program,” said Michigan EGLE Director Phil Roos. “This program, combined with the new state resources that Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered in her bipartisan FY 24 budget, will help Michigan schools buy and use clean school buses to ensure our students make it to school safely, make the air in and around our schools cleaner, and help us meet the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan, the state’s plan to meet carbon neutrality by 2050. These investments power our clean energy economy, protect the health of our residents, and safeguard our land, air, and water.”
“This summer has been a stark wake-up call for Michiganders: we cannot take the air we breathe or temperatures for granted. It’s why we are celebrating our state’s commitment to funding cleaner school buses which not only protect our school children from dirty tailpipe emissions, but also address our climate crisis head-on,” said Elizabeth Hauptman, Michigan Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force. “Today, we travelled to the rural town of Pellston to recognize a school district taking full advantage its $1.58 million rebate award, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to buy four electric school buses that came online in January 2023. During the first round of EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, Michigan was ranked 2nd nationally with the most districts selected (25) and 4th nationally with regards to total funding received thanks to the extraordinary work of the MI It’s Electric! Coalition of which Moms Clean Air Force is a proud part. On behalf of our more than 35,000 members across the state, we are ready to continue to roll up our sleeves to ensure that our state can lead the way in school bus electrification while centering equity and justice.”
EPA expects to announce even more selectees from the $400 million Clean School Bus grant competition later this year. EPA is committed to ensuring Clean School Bus funding reaches schools that need it the most, prioritizing school districts in underserved and Tribal communities, and covering both bus and infrastructure costs for all awardees.
For more information on EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus
For more information on the Air Quality Flag Program, visit: https://www.airnow.gov/air-quality-flag-program