The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the winners of two school bus rebate opportunities which include the 2021 American Rescue Plan (ARP) Electric School Bus Rebates, and the 2021 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) School Bus Rebates.
The $7 million in ARP funding is directed toward school districts in underserved communities to replace old diesel buses with new, zero-emission electric models; and the $10 million in DERA rebates will assist with 444 school bus replacements across the country.
“The historic investments in clean transportation resulting from President Biden’s leadership will have lasting impacts on protecting clean air for children for generations,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This round of school bus grants from the American Rescue Plan is just the beginning. 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.”
“This funding is a vivid demonstration of how local school bus infrastructure can be upgraded, while also improving air quality in our communities,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “We encourage all Region 7 school transportation fleet supervisors to learn more about this program.”
As part of the announcement, 11 Missouri school districts will be receiving a total of $535,000 in school bus rebate opportunities to replace 26 older buses through the 2021 DERA School Bus Rebates.
| Missouri School District | Location | Buses | Funding |
| Charleston R-1 School District | Charleston | 3 | $60,000 |
| De Soto Public School District 73 | De Soto | 2 | $40,000 |
| Hannibal Public School District 60 | Hannibal | 3 | $75,000 |
| Marion County R-II Schools | Philadelphia | 1 | $20,000 |
| Marquand-Zion R-VI School District | Marquand | 1 | $20,000 |
| New Franklin R-1 School District | New Frankland | 2 | $40,000 |
| North Callaway R-1 School District | Kingdom City | 2 | $40,000 |
| Portageville School District | Portageville | 2 | $40,000 |
| Republic R-III School District | Republic | 1 | $20,000 |
| Shelby County R-IV School District | Shelbina | 1 | $20,000 |
| Windsor C-1 School District | Imperial | 8 | $160,000 |
In addition to the $17 million that was announced, in the coming weeks, EPA plans to announce a new Clean School Bus rebate program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides an unprecedented $5 billion over five years to replace existing school buses with low- or zero-emission school buses.
The rebate awards are EPA’s latest round of funding for longstanding DERA School Bus Rebates. This year’s program awards approximately $10 million to fund the replacement of old diesel school buses with new electric, diesel, gasoline, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses meeting current emission standards.
The two rebate awards total approximately $17 million in combined funding for schools and bus fleet owners to replace older, highly polluting diesel school buses. Replacing these buses will improve air quality in and around schools and communities, reduce greenhouse gas pollution, and better protect children’s health overall. Since 2012, EPA’s school bus rebates have awarded, or are in the process of awarding, over $73 million to replace more than 3,000 old diesel school buses.
This program will also prioritize projects that help achieve the goals of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least 40% of benefits from certain investments to underserved communities.
(Photo licensed via Envato Elements)
