EPA announces School Bus Rebate Award winners, plans to invest '$5 billion over 5 years' to reduce emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced the winners of school bus rebate opportunities.

The rebate is intended to fund the replacement of old diesel buses with new, zero-emission electric models as part of the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to use cleaner, more sustainable energy, according to a March 10 EPA press release.

“The historic investments in clean transportation resulting from President (Joe) Biden’s leadership will have lasting impacts on protecting clean air for children for generations,” said Michael Regan, EPA administrator, in the release.

The first recipient of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Electric School Bus Rebate Award is Holcomb Transportation, Inc., according to the release. The company is receiving $300,000 to replace a bus serving the Camden City School District in New Jersey.

The second rebate award winners will receive rebates as part of the 2021 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) School Bus Rebate Awards, which will provide approximately $10 million in 2022 to replace old diesel school buses with new buses that operate cleaner and meet current emission standards, the release stated.

Below are the latest 2021 DERA School Bus Rebate Award winners:

• Garden State Transport: $200,000 award to replace 10 buses.
• George Dapper Inc.: $40,000 award to replace two buses.
• Lower Cape May regional School District: $60,000 award to replace three buses.
• Safety Bus Service: $149,060 award to replace eight buses.
• Student Transportation of America, Inc.: $200,000 award to replace 10 buses.

“This round of school bus grants from the American Rescue Plan is just the beginning,” Regan said. “The unprecedented $5 billion investment that’s on the way for clean and zero-emission school buses from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will transform how millions of children get to school and help build a better America for a new generation.”

The $5 billion Regan mentioned, is being allocated over five years to fund the Clean School Bus Program and replace existing school buses with cleaner models, the release stated.

In 2022, the EPA plans to fund approximately $17 million in School Bus Rebate Awards which will aid more than 400 schools across the United States in upgrading their bus fleet, according to the release.