The Clean School Bus program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides for an unprecedented level of funding to update our school bus fleets. Half of the $5 billion over five years is to be used for the addition of electric buses while the remaining $2.5 billion can be used for electric, compressed natural gas, and propane buses. Effective and efficient implementation of electric buses to a fleet requires close coordination between a school district and their local utility.
On July 7, 2022, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the Region 4 office of the EPA facilitated a dialog on clean, efficient school bus fleets. Speakers discussed how to work together to successfully add electric school buses to a fleet. Utilities also talked about practical considerations for adding charging stations and recharging considerations.
Presenters
- Dale Aspy, Environmental Engineer, Environmental Protection Agency
- Westy Westmoreland, Director-
Electrification, Dominion Energy South Carolina - Dory Larsen, Electric Transportation Program Manager, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Moderator
Webinar Resources
Clean School Bus Program Resources
- EPA’s Clean School Bus program landing page
- EPA’s Clean School Bus program flyer
- Information about the rebate program currently offered
- Up to 25 school buses per application, one application per school district
- $500 million in available funding
- Prioritized School Districts: School districts that have a higher funding opportunity for the buses and charging infrastructure.
- All eligible applicants’ information
- Application portal
- Power Planner for Electric School Bus Deployment from WRI
- Electric School Bus U.S. Market Study and Buyer’s Guide from WRI
Application/Timeline Recap
- Now: Register as an organization for SAM.gov account
- Now – August 2022: Talk to utility and community partners
- August 19: Deadline to apply for the EPA’s Clean School Bus rebate program
- October 2022: EPA conducts lottery and notifies winners
- October 2022 – April 2023: Winner orders buses, works with utility
- October 2022-April 2023: Selectees submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating that new buses and eligible infrastructure have been ordered.
- Before October 2024:Winner submits close-out form
If you have any questions about the program or the resources, feel free to reach out directly to Dory Larsen at dory@cleanenergy.org.
To connect with a Clean School Bus contact in your region, please email:
Powell.Alan@epa.gov, Aspy.
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Electric Transportation Utility Decarbonization
