Fresno Unified School District is one of dozens of districts across the state receiving federal money to replace existing school buses with zero-emission models.
California’s U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler announced Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency awarded over $91 million to 47 California school districts to electrify their buses.
The big picture: Fresno Unified is receiving $6.6 million to replace 25 buses.
- Compton Unified, Santa Barbara Unified, Orange Unified and Montebello Unified are all receiving between $4.2 million and $8.6 million to also replace 25 buses.
State of play: This is the third round of funding for the five-year $5 billion Clean School Bus Program.
- The EPA selected the school districts through a lottery system and is awarding nearly $900 million for over 3,400 buses nationwide.
What they’re saying: “Setting California’s schoolchildren up for a successful day of learning starts with a cleaner commute,” Padilla said in a statement. “The Clean School Bus Program is a crucial down payment on the transition to zero-emission buses, which is especially important to lower income communities who face some of our nation’s worst air quality. I’m proud to have championed these investments, which are already transforming our bus fleets and improving our children’s health and education.”
