Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $965 million in funding for clean school buses to 67 applicants through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. According to the EPA, the funding will facilitate the purchase of over 2,700 clean school buses in 280 districts across 37 states, serving over 7 million students. Approximately 85 percent of the funding will go to priority school districts, and 95 percent of the funding will go towards electric school buses instead of propane and compressed natural gas (CNG).

After the announcement, Earthjustice Legislative Representative Athena Motavvef issued the following statement:

“School buses serve millions of children each day, and too many of them are exposed to toxic fumes and contaminants from fossil fuel-powered buses. With diesel exhaust linked to higher levels of asthma and other respiratory illnesses, this transformative funding ensures that students have safer, cleaner transportation to school. We are thrilled that school districts, especially those in many low-income, Tribal, and communities of color that face disproportionately high levels of air pollution, recognize this and are demanding funding for electric buses. We thank the EPA and will continue working with them alongside our partners to help direct these funds to the communities that need them the most.”