The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced that four school districts in Arkansas would receive $11.03 million in total grants to purchase electric school buses.
The recipients of the 2023 Clean School Bus Program grants are:
- Little Rock School District — $8.63 million
- Farmington School District — $1.22 million
- Quitman School District — $820,000
- Batesville School District — $365,000
Funds will be used to purchase a total of 36 buses to replace older, diesel-fueled school buses, which will help to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities. The money is a portion of $1 billion awarded this year to school districts across the country to purchase more than 3,400 electric or low-emission school buses.
Since the program was authorized in 2021 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund about 8,500 school bus replacements at more than 1,000 schools. The program also aims to raise demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing and create jobs.
“Today’s announcement is good news for children in Arkansas, especially those in underserved areas who are often exposed to more air pollution and health risks such as asthma,” Eartha Nance, regional administrator for the EPA, said in a statement. “Replacing diesel fueled buses with clean school buses reduces harmful emissions and improves air quality in communities throughout the nation. I want to offer our congratulations to the selected school districts for their partnership and for implementing environmentally friendly practices.”
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