Federal clean school bus grants available to districts, contractors

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is urging all Massachusetts cities, towns and school districts “to take full advantage of newly available federal grants to clean up our school bus fleets.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications through Aug. 22 for the second year of the Clean School Bus program, which provides grant funding to replace existing internal-combustion engine school buses with electric, propane or compressed natural gas buses, as well as the purchase of electric vehicle supply equipment infrastructure and installations.

State and local governmental entities that provide bus service, including public school districts, eligible contractors, nonprofit school transportation associations, and tribal organizations, are eligible to apply.

In a June 27 letter to the MMA and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Sen. Warren noted that “most of the iconic yellow school buses across America still operate on diesel fuel,” emitting air pollutants that are particularly harmful to children — impacting their learning, development and health — while contributing to the climate crisis.

“The benefits of electrifying our school bus fleet are extraordinary,” she wrote. “Replacing a single diesel bus with an electric one can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54,000 pounds each year — as good as replacing nearly six passenger vehicles. Electrification eliminates the health risk from air pollution to drivers, children riding the bus, and the communities through which they pass.”

The EPA expects to award approximately $400 million in competitive grant funding through the Clean School Bus program’s second year of grants, with $27 million available to EPA Region 1 (New England).

Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Clean School Bus program is intended to reduce harmful emissions through the replacement of existing school buses with low- and zero-emission buses. Half of the available funding is dedicated to zero-emission buses, and half is dedicated to clean buses.

Sen. Warren points out that communities of color are disproportionately exposed to risks associated with diesel buses, and the EPA is prioritizing applications that “will replace buses serving high-need local education agencies.”

Applications are being accepted via Grants.gov. Questions may be sent to cleanschoolbus@epa.gov with “Clean School Bus NOFO Question” in the subject line of the email. The deadline for submitting questions is Aug. 9.

Last fall, the Biden-Harris administration announced the first recipients of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, and five Massachusetts school districts secured $29.5 million in rebates for the purchase of a total of 75 new, clean electric school buses.

The Clean School Bus program also plans to open an additional rebates opportunity later this year, which funds similar activities but has a shorter online application form and lottery selection process.

• View U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s letter about the Clean School Bus Program