Deluzio Announces More Than $10.5 Million for 38 Electric Buses Across Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District
Biden-Harris Administration delivers $900 Million for 3,400 new, clean school buses across America under the EPA Rebate Program
CARNEGIE, PA – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) joined the Biden-Harris Administration in announcing the recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selected approximately 530 school districts across the country to receive nearly $900 million in funds to replace older, diesel fueled school buses that have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities.
In Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, which Congressman Deluzio represents in Washington, students in four Western Pennsylvania school districts will receive a total $10,570,000 to purchase and upgrade to 38 new, electric buses.
“I am proud to join the Biden-Harris Administration in announcing the great news that the kids and families of Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District will receive $10.57 million for 38 new electric school buses,” said Congressman Deluzio. “This is a big win in the fight to protect our kids from the harmful impacts of air pollution and to improve our region’s air quality.”
The specific rebates allocations for buses within these PA-17 school districts are as follows:
PA-17 School District: # of Electric Buses # of Total Buses Total Awarded
|
Pine-Richland |
3 |
3 |
$600,000.00 |
|
Woodland Hills |
22 |
22 |
$7,370,000.00 |
|
South Fayette Township |
7 |
7 |
$1,400,000.00 |
|
Moon Area |
6 |
6 |
$1,200,000.00 |
These rebates will help school districts purchase over 3,400 clean school buses—all of which in PA-17 will be electric—to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities. Under the Program's multiple grant and rebate funding opportunities to date, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 8,500 school bus replacements at over 1,000 schools.
In September 2023, the 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 overwhelming response from school districts across the country seeking to purchase electric and clean school buses.
This third round of funding will build on the previous investments of almost $2 billion via the Clean School Bus Program’s 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.
The EPA is also partnering with other federal agencies through the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation. The EPA is continuing to review selected applications and may make additional awards from this announcement. As additional selections are finalized, the EPA will update the CSB Awards webpage.
The EPA is currently accepting applications for the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program until 11:59 PM ET on July 25, 2024 – with the EPA offering up to $932 million in available grant funding and anticipates approximately 70% of the available funding to help pay for new, zero-emission Class 6 or 7 school buses. The EPA encourages school districts not selected for the 2023 CSB Rebate Program – and those that did not apply – to participate in currently open funding programs, and future CSB funding rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Program
The EPA 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 Clean School Bus 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 their older diesel predecessors.
The Clean School Bus 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 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 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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