Earthjustice Cheers Launch of EPA Clean School Bus Program

Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its 2022 Clean School Bus Program. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program will distribute $5 billion dollars over the next five years to help localities electrify their school bus fleets.

Following the opening of applications, Earthjustice Legislative Representative Athena Motavvef issued the following statement:

“The 25 million children riding school buses every day deserve a school commute free from exposure to high levels of diesel exhaust that causes and exacerbates severe respiratory illness. This EPA program helps make this aspiration a reality by funding the electrification of local school bus fleets across the nation, meaning less exposure to toxic air pollution, fewer missed days of school for preventable illnesses, and improved school performance for environmental justice communities that are already disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

“While critical for improving health outcomes, electrifying school buses is also an important climate solution. With the transportation sector responsible for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions, electrifying school buses helps us decrease local air pollution while fighting the climate crisis. We look forward to working with the EPA to ensure that underserved communities are receiving these important investments and that the Biden administration lives up to the promises made to frontline communities experiencing the disproportionate impacts of pollution and the climate crisis.”