Florida: Four Florida counties have been chosen by the Environmental Protection Agency to receive a grant of around $33,175,000 under the agency’s Clean School Bus program.
According to the EPA, the Clean School Bus program seeks to lower greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts, and create better air.
Among the county school districts given awards are:
- The Hillsborough County Public School District has been granted a $7,900,000 grant to enable the purchase of more than 20 immaculate school buses.
- A $19,750,000 grant has been approved for Miami-Dade County Public Schools to buy more than 50 clean school buses.
- A $5,000,000 grant has been approved for Orange County Public Schools to buy more than 20 immaculate school buses.
- The Seminole County School Board has been awarded $525,000 to buy more than 15 pristine school buses.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that third-party selectees that collaborate with other states will provide Florida with more funds:
- $30,660,000 will be given to Highland CSB 1, LLC so that it can buy 97 buses in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the $5 billion EPA Clean School Bus program, which consists of two parts: a grant program that provides funds to qualified applicants for the purchase of buses, and a rebate program that enables qualified applicants to receive awards prior to purchasing eligible buses that replace current school buses with clean, zero-emission models.
The second round of picks will be announced on Friday, and more funds will be made available for subsequent rounds.
Applications for the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program can be submitted to the EPA through January 31, 2024.