Biden-Harris Administration Announces Wisconsin to Receive Clean School Bus Funding as Part of Investing in America Agenda
CHICAGO (Jan. 8, 2024) – As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting children and improving air quality, today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wisconsin is set to receive funding through EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition.
- First Student Inc. has been selected to receive $39,499,635 to purchase 100 buses in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Highland CSB 1 has been selected to receive $29,365,000 to purchase 98 buses in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- Student Transportation of America Inc has been selected to receive $12,187,253 to purchase up to 32 buses in Illinois and Wisconsin.
The awards, which are made possible through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will help selectees purchase clean school buses in two school districts across Wisconsin. By accelerating the transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles, these awards will improve air quality for children and their families and advance environmental justice, all while boosting the economy and creating good-paying jobs.
“Today we’re once again accelerating the transition to electric and low-emission school buses in America, helping to secure a healthier future where all our children can breathe cleaner air,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I’ve sat next to students on their very first clean school bus ride and their excitement reflects the power of good policy. Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, thousands more school buses will hit the road in school districts across the country, saving school districts money and improving air quality at the same time.”
“Today’s exciting announcement reflects this Administration’s ongoing commitment to the health and wellbeing of children throughout the Great Lakes states,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “Clean school buses not only provide students with safe transportation to and from school, but they also improve air quality throughout the neighborhoods they serve.”
“Here in Wisconsin, we know that building 21st-century infrastructure, investing in clean, electric transportation options and jobs, and mitigating climate change go hand-in-hand, and we’ve been working hard over the past five years to connect the dots and ensure our state, our economy, and our workforce are ready to meet the needs of the 21st century,” said Governor Tony Evers. “These investments, supported by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help continue our efforts, helping reduce harmful pollution and protecting our kids’ health today and ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable future for tomorrow.”
“Investing in electric or low-emission buses is a win for our environment, will lower fuel costs for communities, and help keep our neighbors healthy,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin. “I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because I knew it would make a difference for Wisconsin families — helping us tackle climate change and creating a healthier, cleaner future for our kids.”
“Clean Milwaukee Public School buses will mean lower carbon emissions, cleaner air, and healthier environments for our children to grow up and thrive. These many benefits for our communities are why I am so excited about this grant," said Rep. Gwen Moore.
“Madison’s Public School students deserve to have the best buses to get to school,” said Rep. Mark Pocan. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Law, Madison Metropolitan School Department is receiving five new electric and low-emission school buses, keeping our planet healthy and air clean for the next generation. Thank you to the Biden-Harris Administration for awarding Madison’s students with these top-of-the-line school buses.”
“We thank the EPA for these awards and for accelerating the equitable deployment of electric school buses across the U.S.,” said John Kenning, CEO and president of First Student. “First Student looks forward to continuing our partnership with the EPA as we work to fulfill our commitment to convert 30,000 diesel school buses with clean, electric-powered school buses by 2035. As the largest student transportation provider in the country and the leading operator of electric school buses, our team has the resources and expertise to not only bring students to and from school safely, but also work with school districts, utilities, and municipalities to build the necessary charging and maintenance infrastructure for the future. We appreciate the EPA’s recognition of the turn-key nature of our proposals and are excited to continue modernizing fleets and improving the environmental health of the students and communities we serve.”
“Thanks to funding from the EPA Clean School Bus Grant Program and support from a robust coalition of partners, we are proud to deploy electric school buses across metro, tribal, rural and suburban communities spanning five Midwest states,” said Joshua Williams, midwest regional manager of Highland Electric Fleets. “We look forward to demonstrating that all communities can access the benefits of electric school buses.”
The Clean School Bus Program is having far-reaching effects across school districts and their surrounding communities. Air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and can cause them to miss school. Phasing out these older diesel engines, which disproportionately affect communities of color and Tribal communities, ensures cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working near bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.
After an extensive review process, the EPA Clean School Bus Program has selected the Notice of Funding Opportunity’s top tier Illinois applicants to receive this historic investment in their community.
Proactive and ongoing communication with key stakeholders, like school boards and local utilities, is critical to successful bus and infrastructure deployment. To ensure the successful implementation of the selected projects funding electric buses and charging infrastructure, EPA has created a Utility Partnership Template which encourages early and robust engagement between the applicant and their utility company. Additional details can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity on the Clean School Bus Program Website.
Grantees will work with their EPA Regional Project Officers to finalize project plans and purchase their awarded new buses and eligible infrastructure. As grants are finalized, total amounts awarded and number of buses may be adjusted. EPA is also partnering with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to provide grantees with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation. All selectees must submit a Utility Partnership Agreement to verify that the school district’s electric utility provider is aware of the school district’s rebate application.
EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses, and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. Today’s Clean School Bus grants are the second round of selections announced for the newly created program. EPA will make more funds available for clean school buses in additional rounds of funding.
EPA is currently accepting applications for the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program until January 31, 2024. EPA encourages applicants not selected for the 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program – and those that did not apply – to participate in current and future funding rounds. Once the application period for the 2023 rebate program closes and the school districts selected are notified, school districts can proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. After the selectees submit the proper forms, they will be eligible to receive rebate funds. All selectees must submit a Utility Partnership Agreement to verify that the school district’s electric utility provider is aware of the school district’s rebate application.
To learn more about the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program, applicant eligibility, selection process, and informational webinar dates for future rounds of funding, visit the Clean School Bus Program website. Questions about applying for funding may be directed to [email protected]. Questions about Clean School Bus Program technical assistance may be directed to [email protected].
About the Clean School Bus Program
EPA’s Clean School Bus Program was adopted under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides an unprecedented $5 billion of funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and produce cleaner air. Air pollution from older diesel engines 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. Efforts to minimize the effects of these older diesel 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 Program will benefit school districts as they upgrade to cost saving and fuel-efficient school bus fleets, by replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses and freeing up needed resources for schools.
In April 2023, EPA announced the availability of at least $400 million for its 2023 Clean School Bus Grants through a Notice of Funding Opportunity. The grant application period closed in August 2023 with an outstanding response from applicants seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses. Given the overwhelming demand and high-scoring applications, including applicants in low-income communities, Tribal nations and territories, EPA has nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded this round to approximately $965 million. These awards follow over $875 million obligated to new buses from the Clean School Bus Program’s 2022 Rebates, which funded the replacement of 2,366 buses at 372 school districts to further improve air quality in and around schools, to reduce greenhouse gas pollution fueling the climate crisis, and help accelerate America’s leadership in developing the clean vehicles of the future.
Prioritized school districts in low-income, rural, and/or Tribal communities make up approximately 86% of the projects selected for funding. The program delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
For more information, please email [email protected].
View the full list of Clean School Bus grantees.