Durbin, Duckworth Urge Illinois School District To Apply For EPA Clean School Bus Program
Under the program, school districts would be eligible for federal funding to support a transition to electric school buses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to more than 300 Illinois school district administrators to inform them that their districts are eligible to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). The program, a $5 billion effort established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to convert the nation’s school bus fleets to low- and zero-emission vehicles. EPA has opened applications for the initial $500 million in funding for priority applicants that serve significant populations of students living below the poverty line.
“We write to bring your attention to an important federal funding opportunity. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified your district as a potential priority applicant for the new Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). This program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide an unprecedented $5 billion in rebates to schools seeking to procure low- and zero-emission school buses, including electric buses, as well as chargers and other necessary infrastructure,” the Senators wrote.
“The CSBP represents a transformational opportunity for Illinois schools and students. Switching from diesel to low- and zero-emission school buses will improve efficiency, reduce costs, and protect our students from harmful diesel emissions. The CSBP will help ensure Illinois has the cleanest and most cost-effective school bus fleet in the nation,” the Senators continued.
“We look forward to working together to make Illinois schools the national leader in this historic push for clean transportation,” the Senators concluded.
Durbin has long been an outspoken supporter of electric vehicles. Earlier this year, he secured $2.5 million through the omnibus appropriations bill in new federal funding to support electric vehicle infrastructure and workforce training that will lead to good paying jobs in the electrical industry.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was supported by both Durbin and Duckworth, included more than $7.5 billion for the construction of a national EV charging network. The legislation also included more than $17 billion in funding in Illinois in addition to several billion dollars available through competitive grant processes. Illinois will receive $149 million for EV infrastructure and be eligible for a further $2.5 billion in competitive funds.
A copy of the letter is available here and below:
June 13, 2022
Dear Illinois School Districts,
We write to bring your attention to an important federal funding opportunity. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified your district as a potential priority applicant for the new Clean School Bus Program (CSBP). This program, created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide an unprecedented $5 billion in rebates to schools seeking to procure low- and zero-emission school buses, including electric buses, as well as chargers and other necessary infrastructure.
The application process for the first $500 million in awards has begun. School districts on the priority list, including yours, have the opportunity to enter a raffle to receive these initial, higher rebates. The application deadline is August 19, 2022. Should your school district wish to apply for funding, details of the program and the application process can be found on the EPA’s website: https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus. School districts interested in applying also may email questions to EPA at cleanschoolbus@epa.gov. EPA and other state and local entities also will provide technical assistance to districts. If your district is would like to apply for the program, webinars and other events are available as a resource to learn more about the rebates and application process. Upcoming webinars to provide such assistance can be found here: https://usepa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_oxJTzG2TRbKnVPgyZ8P8KA.
The CSBP represents a transformational opportunity for Illinois schools and students. Switching from diesel to low- and zero-emission school buses will improve efficiency, reduce costs, and protect our students from harmful diesel emissions. The CSBP will help ensure Illinois has the cleanest and most cost-effective school bus fleet in the nation. We will continue to work with communities across Illinois to ensure that all children have the opportunity to benefit from clean transportation.
If your school district has any questions or would like to connect with EPA Region 5 to request technical assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our offices. We look forward to working together to make Illinois schools the national leader in this historic push for clean transportation.
Sincerely,
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