Seventeen Oklahoma school districts in Oklahoma were among dozens nationwide that received part of more than $1 billion from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to replace old fossil fuel powered buses and replace them with electric school buses.
Oklahoma schools received more than $24 million in funding to acquire 61 electric buses as part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition.
The Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition, a first for the EPA under President Joe Biden, will help these selectees purchase over 2,700 clean school buses in 280 school districts serving over 7 million students across 37 states, according to Monday’s announcement. About 95% of the buses will be completely electric.
“Today, we are announcing nearly $1 billion to fund clean school buses across the nation,” said Vice President Kamala Harris in the press release. “As part of our work to tackle the climate crisis, the historic funding we are announcing today is an investment in our children, their health and their education. It also strengthens our economy by investing in American manufacturing and America’s workforce.”
The 2024 announcement brings the program impact to $2 billion in awards, according to the press release, funding roughly 5,000 electric and low-emission school buses nationwide. The $5 billion program includes both a grant program and a rebate program, which allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses.
Beggs School District received the largest grant that totaled $3,950,000 to acquire 10 EVs. The Pocola School District 7 received $2,765,000 for 7 electric buses. The Lone Grove and the McAlester school districts each received the same amount to replace 7 fossil fuel buses with EVs.
Chickaha received $1,975,000 for 5 EVs; Shawnee $1,580,000 for four electric buses and Sentinal $1,580,000 to replace four buses.
Clinton and Geronimo school districts each were ranted $1,185,000 to acquire three buses each for their districts.
Kiamichi Tech-Center in Talihina ws granted $790,000 for two electric buses. The same amount was given to Oilton and Tulsa school districts for acquisition of two buses in the two districts.
Grants of $395,000 were given each to Poteau and Webbers Falls for acquisition of one electric bus. Buffalo Valley, Earlsboro and Nashoba school dstricts also received the same amount of funding to replace one fossil fuel buses in their districts.
