At least 18 school districts in Oklahoma were among nearly 400 nationwide that received more than $26 million in grants under the Biden Administration’s nearly $1 billion Clean School Bus rebate competition.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the recipients during a ceremony on Wednesday. The grants will help school districts purchase over 2,400 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities. An estimated 95% of the buses will be electric vehicles.
The 18 grants totaled $26,070,000 and the biggest grant was $5,135,000 to the Grove School District to buy 13 Lion Electric Co. school buses. Another large recipient was the Beggs School District which received $3,950,000 for 10 school buses, with the help of the Lion Electric Co., a Canadian-based manufacturer of EV buses, according to the EPA list of recipients.
Lion also was part of the $1,975,000 grant awarded the Chickasha School district for 5 buses. The Lone Grove school district will acquire 7 school buses with its $2,765,000 grant from the EPA.
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC BEGGS OK 10 $3,950,000.00
BUFFALO VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT 3 BUFFALO VALLEY OK 1 $395,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC CHICKASHA OK 5 $1,975,000.00
CLINTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 99 CLINTON OK 3 $1,185,000.00
EARLSBORO SCHOOL DISTRICT I-5 EARLSBORO OK 1 $395,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC GERONIMO OK 3 $1,185,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC GROVE OK 13 $5,135,000.00
KIAMICHI TECHNOLOGY CENTERS KIAMICHI TECH. CENTER- TALIHINA OK 2 $790,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC LONE GROVE OK 7 $2,765,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC MCALESTER OK 7 $2,765,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC NASHOBA OK 1 $395,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC OILTON OK 2 $790,000.00
POCOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT 7 POCOLA OK 7 $2,765,000.00
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY POTEAU OK 1 $395,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC SENTINEL OK 4 $1,580,000.00
SHAWNEE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
#93 SHAWNEE OK 4 $1,580,000.00
THE LION ELECTRIC CO USA INC TULSA OK 2 $790,000.00
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY WEBBERS FALLS OK 1 $395,000.00
The total number of school districts is 389 in all 50 states.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a press release.
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.