EPA Region 7 Celebrates Nearly $690K 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate in Iola, Kansas
LENEXA, KAN. (SEPT. 26, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 celebrated the selection of the Iola Unified School District #257 in Iola, Kansas, to receive nearly $690,000, as part of EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate program. The Kansas school district will use the funding to purchase two electric school buses and install charging infrastructure.
The program will also help Kansas accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and to replace existing school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities.
“By investing in zero-emission school buses, we are not only improving air quality, but also prioritizing the health and safety of our nation’s children,” said EPA Region 7 Air and Radiation Division Director Dana Skelley. “This grant, made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, takes significant steps toward a cleaner environment for today’s students and future generations.”
“USD 257 is happy to welcome two EV buses to our transportation fleet,” said Iola Unified School District Operations Director Aaron Cole. “This grant will help to diversify our bus fleet and bring new technology to Iola schools.”
In September 2023, 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, Tribal Nations, and U.S. territories, EPA doubled the amount of available funding to nearly $1 billion.
This third round of funding will build on the previous nearly $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.
About the Clean School Bus Program
EPA’s Clean School Bus program was created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides an unprecedented $5 billion of funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. The program funds electric buses, which produce zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, which produce lower tailpipe emissions compared to existing school buses.
The program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and tribal communities. Phasing out existing school bus engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The Clean School Bus program will save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
View the full list of Clean School Bus program awards.
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