NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $19 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for bus electrification to accelerate the transition to low-and-zero-emission vehicles in New Jersey.
Booker has championed electric vehicles to advance environmental justice, especially in communities heavily burdened by pollution, and has supported efforts throughout New Jersey to secure federal funding for electrification of school bus fleets.
The funding, allocated through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, is part of a larger initiative under the BIL to provide an unprecedented $5 billion of funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. Made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the award will help secure clean school buses for five school districts in New Jersey, including in Union City, Elizabeth, Newark, Bloomfield Township and Lakewood Township. Booker’s announcement was made at Jose Marti STEM Academy in Union City.
The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors. The transportation company, Van-Con, Inc., will receive nearly $19 million to purchase 42 clean school buses and 28 bus chargers.
“I’m proud to work with the Biden Administration to deliver funding that will benefit five New Jersey school districts with clean school buses, a significant investment in protecting our children’s health and combating the climate crisis,” said Senator Booker. “When we crafted the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these are among the groundbreaking investments into our communities that I envisioned. Electric school buses are a win-win for our children, bus drivers, and our communities, providing a cleaner, healthier environment and producing long-term savings. Today’s grant announcement is the product of a months-long process during which my office worked closely with the awardees, and I’m confident this is one of many more awards to come. My office is continuously engaged with districts throughout the state seeking to transition to an electric fleet.”
“Today’s funding means cleaner air and less pollution…which equals healthier kids!” said EPA Chief of Staff Olivia Glenn. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’ll breathe easier in New Jersey having these quiet, tailpipe-less school buses carrying our kids to and from school and other activities. Making our neighborhoods cleaner and better places to live is how we advance environmental justice and is what investing in America is all about.”
“I want to thank President Biden, our congressional delegation, and the Environmental Protection Agency for their steadfast support of our efforts here at home to protect school children from harmful pollutants and give them the best chance to succeed,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “Together, we are building momentum in the transition to zero-emission vehicles that will help us deliver on our promise to mitigate the disproportionate health impacts of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, especially in New Jersey's most overburdened communities.”
“It is an honor to join Senator Booker, Mayor Stack, and officials from the Environmental Protection Agency to highlight the $19 million in federal funding that we have secured to ensure cleaner air in our Eighth District communities,” said U.S. Representative Rob Menendez Jr. (D-NJ-8). “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to deliver for our residents with this funding that will allow our children to benefit from new state-of-the-art school buses while reducing pollutants in our cities and towns. Thank you to the Biden Administration, as well as Mayors Stack, Bollwage, and Baraka for their partnership on this critical environmental issue.”
“I am proud to hear that the Newark School District will receive six school buses as a part of an EPA Clean School Bus award to Van-Con Inc,” said U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ-10). “I helped to secure $5 billion in funding for clean school buses in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help protect the environment and make sure the next generation grows up in a cleaner environment. I hope we can expand this program and provide more clean buses to other communities in my district.”
“With this grant, New Jersey is one step closer to a greener future thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These school districts will now be able to purchase clean energy school buses and chargers—not only improving their transportation fleet but also protecting the health of our children. Securing federal grants like this is key to my fight to make New Jersey a better, safer, and more affordable place to live. I am thankful for the efforts of Senator Booker and the EPA in supporting that shared goal,” said U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11).
“The City of Elizabeth will be one five school districts receiving zero-emission vehicles, to not only empower education, but further our commitment to cleaner air for our community,” said Mayor of Elizabeth Christian J. Bollwage. “Together, we drive progress towards a healthier, greener, and brighter tomorrow.”
“I want to thank Senator Booker and Governor Murphy for all their support in securing funding from the Clean School Bus program. Union City is honored to be one of only five school districts in New Jersey to be chosen to receive this money,” said Mayor of Union City and State Senator Brian P. Stack. “These new electric school busses will provide cleaner air through reduced greenhouse emissions, reduce health risks especially for children with respiratory problems, and save on maintenance and fuel costs.”
“There is nothing more important than the health and wellbeing of our children, most of whom are transported each day on school buses that produce harmful diesel emissions,” said New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The Murphy Administration is proud to have recently announced its groundbreaking Electric School Bus Grant Program providing grants for clean electric school bus purchases and charging infrastructure. We are equally proud to join with the EPA and the Biden-Harris Administration in announcing this Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for even more electric school bus purchases and infrastructure in New Jersey. With programs like these, we are embarking on an exciting and important journey that will better protect the health of our schoolchildren and communities, especially our overburdened communities.”
"The Union City School District is very pleased to have been awarded these funds from the EPA grant, which will enable us to provide enhanced transportation services for our students,” said Union City Public Schools Superintendent Silvia Abbato. “We are grateful to the EPA for recognizing the needs of urban districts like ours that continuously strive to furnish our students with all the tools to be successful."
“This is a transformational opportunity for our community,” said Charles A. Webster, director of Grants and Innovative Programming at Union City Public Schools.
“CCMT is honored and privileged to be working with the USEPA and Van-Con, Inc. on this major deployment of zero emission electric school buses for some of New Jersey’s largest environmental justice communities. These buses are going eliminate toxic diesel air pollutants at the local level and CO2 emissions at the planetary level. The USEPA Clean School Bus grant will help these school districts with the high cost of student transportation. The USEPA grant will also have a broader economic benefit, creating jobs right here in New Jersey as well as in Georgia and Michigan,” said James Sherman, the project developer, manager, and CEO of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies LLC.
In October 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the first recipients of EPA’s Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, the first round of funding from the CSB Program. EPA awarded nearly $1 billion to 389 school districts to fund electric and low-emission school buses across school districts, including $790,000 for New Jersey. The EPA also recently announced the results of the next round of CSB funding through the 2023 grant competition, awarding nearly $19 million in grants to help five school districts in New Jersey purchase a total of 42 electric buses.
Last month, Senator Booker sent a letter to the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, all New Jersey school districts, and officials from all 21 New Jersey counties informing them that $500 million was available through the EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebates Program and encouraging school districts to apply to replace their districts’ diesel school buses with cleaner alternatives.
Senator Booker also encouraged school districts to leverage opportunities through the Inflation Reduction Act’s federal clean energy tax credits and Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle program to help them electrify their school bus fleets.
Senator Booker has been a champion of environmental justice and ensuring that disproportionately impacted communities have access to clean air and water. Last year, Booker introduced the EVs for All Act, legislation that would increase access to electric vehicles (EVs) for residents of public housing across the nation.