AZ receives over $11 million from the feds for Clean School Buses.

How long before Dougie "reappropriates" the funds into the pockets of private school operators?

From the EPA -

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Close to $95 Million from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for School Districts in American Samoa, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding nearly $94,970,000 from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 29 school districts in American Samoa, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. The grants will help these school districts across our nation’s Pacific Southwest purchase over 283 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.

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• Arizona will receive $11,415,00 to procure 52 school buses for 8 school districts, of which more than 51% are electric school buses.

From an email sent to me -

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $11,415,000 from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for Arizona School Districts

Historic investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law headed to all 50 states in effort to transform America’s school bus fleet

Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding $11,415,000 from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to eight school districts in Arizona. The grants will help school districts purchase 52 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.

“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. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”

All eight of the Arizona districts selected met one or more of EPA’s prioritization criteria for low income, high need, rural, or tribal schools. Additionally, five of the eight selected school districts qualified under the Tribal prioritization. Over 50% of the funding will be used to purchase zero emission electric buses and charging infrastructure. Today’s announcement includes funding for buses and infrastructure for school districts in cities like Keams Canyon and Mesa, Arizona.

“We’re keeping Arizona children safe through cleaner and more reliable school transportation – giving peace of mind to Arizona parents knowing that their children are safe in these newer, safer buses,” said Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

“Traveling long distances, some tribal students spend hours on a school bus each day, many of which are outdated, breaking down, and extremely costly to operate during high gas price periods,” said U.S. Representative Tom O’Halleran. “I was proud to vote in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to secure funding for new, energy efficient school buses for tribal communities, and pleased to see these incentives reach tribal school districts in Arizona.”

“I’m proud to see our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law making a difference right here in Mesa, said U.S. Representative Greg Stanton. “When we invest in our sustainable infrastructure, those dollars not only make a difference in the health of our roads and bridges, but they also make a difference in the health of our community. This funding will transform Mesa Unified School District’s school bus fleet, helping keep the air our children breathe cleaner by curbing harmful emissions.”

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.

At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.

Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.

These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.

About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program

The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.

The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.

A list of Clean School Bus award recipients are available on EPA’s Awarded Clean School Bus Program Rebates webpage.