FCPS will get more electric school buses
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Fairfax County Public Schools $16.59 million to purchase 42 electric school buses.
The EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program grant competition is aimed at accelerating the transition to low and zero-emission vehicles. “These awards will improve air quality for children and their families and advance environmental justice, all while boosting the economy and creating good-paying jobs,” the EPA states.
The $5 billion Clean School Bus program is funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program funds electric, compressed natural gas, and propane buses that produce lower tailpipe emissions compared to older diesel buses.
“Air pollution from diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and can cause them to miss school,” the EPA says. “Phasing out these older diesel engines, which disproportionately affect communities of color and tribal communities, ensures cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working near bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.”
Fairfax County already has 18 electric school buses.
The grant “will greatly assist us in our commitment to achieve a fully zero-emission fleet, aligning with our goal of reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficiency in student transportation,” says School Board Chair Karl Frisch (Providence).
I hope FCPS Transportation Services will allocate the new fleet equitably across regions and pyramids.
EPA is mandated under the Justice 40 initiative to provide funds to at least 40% low income and/or rural areas
A solution in search of a problem. What a complete waste of time and money that should be spent on solving for egregious inadequacies (crime, drugs, space, standardized test performance, salaries, technology) in a once renowned public school system. Not surprised that shock jock Frisch lauds himself with this performance act.
That’s $343 THOUSAND for each school bus!
Thank you President Biden for cleaning Fairfax County’s air! Every little bit helps.
As expensive as these are, I’m looking forward to when the dozens of buses that are stored/park at my neighborhood school are electric. Every morning the smell from the exhaust across the whole neighborhood is unbearable.