EPA Announces $400 Million Grants for Clean School Bus Program

The 2023 Clean School Bus Program, which will distribute about $400 million in grants, has been announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The program accepts applications from state and local governments nationwide that provide bus services to replace current school buses with clean, zero-emission substitutes.

The funding will go toward integrating electric, propane, or compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for internal combustion buses. Aside from that, money can be used to buy the infrastructure and installations needed to supply electric vehicles.

School transportation directors can use propane’s reliable and clean attributes by using propane-powered recharging infrastructure or propane-autogas school buses, claims the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). The EPA will give transportation directors up to $35,000 through the program for each propane autogas bus bought.

The EPA requested applications for rebates totaling $1 billion in the previous year for zero-emission and low-emission school buses. 95% of the more than 2,500 buses funded by the program were electric. PERC emphasizes the significance of considering various energy sources to provide students with safe, clean, and healthy transportation.

According to Steve Whaley, the director of autogas business development at PERC, the propane industry addresses this issue by providing propane-powered recharging systems as a cost-effective and dependable infrastructure solution.

By August 22, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, interested candidates for the Clean School Bus Program must submit their electronic applications via grants.gov.