[Arlington, Va., October 26, 2022 ] – The Beneficial Electrification League (BEL) heralded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement that 389 school districts will be receiving new electric school buses funded by the EPA’s Clean Bus Program.
“Rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities conducted unprecedented outreach to school districts serving rural communities to promote participation in the program,” said Keith Dennis, CEO of the Beneficial Electrification League (BEL).
According to the EPA announcement, “the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states and Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.” Here is the list of school districts receiving rebates in 2022 for new buses from EPA and the waitlist as of 10/27/22
BEL was recently selected to promote the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Bus Program in the five states that comprise EPA’s Region 5: Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The two-year agreement will support BEL’s outreach to utilities and school districts encouraging participation in the electric school bus rebate program. The first round of applications concluded in August of 2022.
BEL has built a network of more than 350 utilities to increase awareness of the new program – and the benefits of electric buses – in rural and disadvantaged communities. BEL previously announced CoBank support for BEL’s electric school bus initiative.
“By having access to electric school bus fleets, rural school systems can help create more sustainable communities and lower operating costs. CoBank’s donation is intended to amplify the work that BEL and electric coops are doing together to educate rural school systems on how to access the resources created by the IIJA,” said Tamra Reynolds, managing director for CoBank, sponsor of the BEL’s Electric School Bus program.
“The webinars, resources, and personal communication BEL and the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association provided us at the outset of this brand-new federal program were invaluable in promoting this opportunity to remote rural school districts that otherwise would not have known this program existed,” said Monica Obryicki, President & CEO, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative
“BEL was able to move the needle during the first year of the program, unlocking millions of dollars in rebates benefiting local school districts across the country,” says CEO Keith Dennis. “Funding from the EPA will help leverage and grow this network to ensure school districts that receive school buses can have a good experience with their upgrade. support.”
“By having access to electric school bus fleets, rural school systems can help create more sustainable communities and lower operating costs. CoBank’s donation is intended to amplify the work that BEL and electric coops are doing together to educate rural school systems on how to access the resources created by the IIJA,” said Tamra Reynolds, managing director for CoBank, sponsor of the BEL’s Electric School Bus program.
In the 2021 Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA), Congress funded an array of programs that aim to accelerate electrification of the economy, including a $5 Billion grant program enabling school districts to purchase new clean buses, with a focus on electric buses.
About the Beneficial Electrification League
The Beneficial Electrification League is a not-for-profit organization bringing together a diverse group of organizations that support universal acceptance for beneficial electrification as a necessary strategy to meet economic, consumer and environmental goals. The Beneficial Electrification League is collaborating with electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to support electric utilities interested in working with school districts to access funding for electric school buses and electric infrastructure. Learn more at: Electric School Bus Initiative - Beneficial Electrification League (be-league.org)