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SALT LAKE CITY — If the streets of Vernal and the Eureka area soon begin to seem quieter than usual — and if the air seems cleaner — it's probably because of a new fleet of electric school buses that will be transporting students to and from school in the near future.
The Biden administration on Wednesday announced the 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding $4.74 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law to school districts serving the communities of Eureka and Vernal.
The grants will help Utah school districts purchase 12 electric-powered clean energy school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and their communities.
"President Biden's historic bipartisan infrastructure law is accelerating our nation's transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. "As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children's health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution."
The funding breakdown for the two districts is as follows:
- Tintic School District: $790,000 for two buses
- Uintah School District: $3,950,000 for 10 buses
The EPA in May announced the availability of $500 million for the program. After "overwhelming demand" from school districts across the country, including those in low-income communities, tribal nations, territories and rural areas, the EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million and plans to distribute funds to school districts in all 50 states, along with several federally recognized tribes and U.S. territories.
"Today, 95% of our school buses are fueled with diesel fuel, which contributes to very serious conditions that are about health and about the ability to learn," Vice President Kamala Harris said during an announcement of the distribution of the funds in Seattle.
"We are witnessing, around our country and around our world, the effects of extreme climate," Harris said. "What we are announcing today is a step forward in our nation's commitment to be a leader on these issues, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to invest in our economy, to invest in job creation, to invest in building the skills of America's workforce ... with a goal of not only saving our children but for them, saving our planet."
I am delivering remarks in Seattle, Washington on our Administration's investments in clean school buses. Tune in for this important announcement. https://t.co/kOT6C8lYex
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 26, 2022
In exchange for receiving funding from the EPA, Uintah School District must remove 10 diesel buses from its fleet.
The diesel buses, which were built in 2010 or earlier, lack modern emission control systems and must be scrapped, per the requirements of the EPA program.
"These zero-emission electric buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate exposure to harmful pollutants such as soot, fine particulates and nitrogen oxides," said KC Becker, EPA Region 8 administrator.
Additionally, the program requires Uintah School District to use the new electric buses for at least five years from the time of delivery. The electric buses will be used for local routes only, primarily in the Vernal area.
"Our decision to apply for this funding was based, in part, on a letter the district received earlier this year from the Utah Petroleum Association encouraging us to electrify our fleet and look for other ways to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the Uintah Basin," said Rick Woodford, Uintah School District superintendent.
Of the money allocated to Uintah School District, $200,000 of the $3,950,000 will go toward the infrastructure needed to charge the electric buses.
The district's current fleet consists of 36 diesel buses and 27 propane buses.
"Also, with the addition of these 10 new buses, the district is saving local taxpayers more than $1 million over the next three years that would have otherwise gone to purchase route buses on our regular replacement schedule," Woodford added.
Tintic School District didn't respond for comment as of Wednesday evening.
The awards announced Wednesday are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law. The EPA is designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an "ambitious grant competition."
Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean-energy school buses in 2023 and "encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates — and those that did not apply this funding cycle — to participate in future rounds."
"This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve," Regan said.
