The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it tentatively selected 70 applicants to receive over $735 million from the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program for the purchase and implementation of zero-emission heavy duty vehicles, including electric school buses.

EPA stated on Dec. 11 that the applicants span 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one U.S. territory.

The School Bus Sub Program portion of the grant includes $490 million to fund new zero-emission electric school buses and associated infrastructure and looks to deliver approximately 70 percent of total funding to school bus replacement projects. The funds being awarded will go toward the purchase of over 1,600 electric school buses.

EPA also said it will be working with the selected applicants to finalize award details and “currently anticipates finalizing awards in early calendar year 2025 once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.” Depending on the scale of each individual project, implementation will occur over the next two to three years.

Some of the grant fund allocation for zero-emission buses and infrastructure include an anticipated $35 million to Boston Public Schools to replace 125 diesel and propane school buses with electric school buses as well as purchase chargers for the buses. Multiple school districts in California are slated to receive funds. Over $20.3 million is destined for Los Angeles Unified School District to replace 50 fossil fuel-powered school buses and $15.1 million to Oakland Unified School District to replace 60 of its buses with electric school buses.

A full list of tentative applicants and project fund amounts can be found here.

Related: EPA Announces Nearly $900M Awarded in Latest Clean School Bus Rebate
Related: Preparing for Electric School Bus Infrastructure
Related: (STN Podcast E221) EV Prognostication, Garage Star Perspective on NY Electric Pioneer Suffolk

The post EPA Awards Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program Funds Nationwide appeared first on School Transportation News.

LISLE, Ill. — Please join IC Bus for a detailed webinar for customers in states adopting EPA, CARB and GHG regulations in 2025 and how they will affect us in the coming years. We will also go over the new bundled solutions and how they can help our customers in their zero emissions journey.

We will be offering a date for ACT only adopting states and ACT + Omnibus adopting states. Please register for the webinar date/ time below that works best for your situation by clicking the corresponding link below.

• Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024
  Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM CT
  For: 2025 ACT Only Adopting States (NJ, NY, WA)
  Register for this webinar.
• Date: Friday, October 18, 2024
  Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM CT
  For: 2025 ACT + Omnibus Adopting States (CA, MA, OR)
  Register for this webinar.

The post Join IC Bus For Legislative Update Webinars appeared first on School Transportation News.

School districts will once again have funding opportunities to replace diesel school buses with zero- or low-emission vehicles through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Program.

The Clean School Bus Program is a five-year, $5 billion program that was signed into law through the 2001 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by President Joe Biden. It provides $5 billion over fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to fund the replacement of zero- and low-emission school buses. Under the CSBP grant and rebates, the EPA stated almost $3 billion was awarded to fund approximately 8,700 school buses, approximately 95 percent of which are zero-emission.

The EPA announced on Thursday the opening of the 2024 CSBP rebate application period, which the agency anticipates awarding up to $965 million, with the potential to modify the number based on the application pool and “other factors,” EPA stated.

The application will remain open until Jan. 9, 2025, at 4 p.m. EST.

Additionally, EPA now doubles the maximum allowed number of school buses funded per application from 25 to 50. Eligible applicants can apply to receive funds for electric, propane and/or compressed natural gas buses. Plus, the funds can go toward the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure, workforce training, consulting costs for bus deployments and bus warranty costs.

The EPA added that it will also provide additional funding per bus for ADA-compliant buses and for applicants not located in one of the lower 48 contiguous states to cover shipping.

Available Funding Per School Bus: 

 

Electric School Buses
Priority:
Up to $325K + charging for Type D
$245K + charging for Type A & Type C

Non-priority:
$170K + charging for Type D
$115K + charging for Type A & Type C

 

Propane
Priority:
Up to $35K for Type D

Up to $30K for Type A & Type C

Non-priority:
Up to $25K for Type D

Up to $20K for Type A & C

 

CNG
Priority:
Up to $45K for Type D

Up to $30K for Type A & Type C

Non-priority:
Up to $30K for Type D
Up to $20K for Type A &C

Source: EPA

Related: Inspector General Report Cites Inefficiencies in EPA Clean School Bus Program
Related: EPA Takes Technology-Neutral Approach in Finalizing Phase 3 GHG Rule
Related: EPA Funds 2,675 More Electric School Buses Across 36 States
Related: Low-income Areas Need Electric School Buses the Most, WRI Analysis Indicates
Related: Second Installment of Zero Emission School Bus Funding Available in N.Y

Applicants will also be required to submit one or more of the following supplemental forms: school district approval certification (for third-party applicants such as eligible contractors and nonprofit school transportation associations), school board awareness certification, and/or utility partner template (for those applying for EV buses).

All forms must be signed by an authorized representative prior to submitting the application, the EPA stated.

EPA said it anticipates notifying applicants of their section status in May 2025. Read more about the 2024 rebate program.

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The international biofuels industry has found an unlikely ally in the waste management sector. A heightened global urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) is incentivizing renewable fuels production like never before, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently warned of an impending feedstock shortage for biodiesel, renewable diesel and biojet (aviation fuel) production, estimated …

The post Merging Net Zero With Zero Waste: One solution to biofuel feedstock shortage appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.