Salt Lake City, UT — Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2023 Clean School Bus (CSB) Program rebate competition grants. This announcement comes after months of dialogue between students and school boards about how to reduce emissions from school facilities and fleets. The rebates will help school districts purchase clean school buses in three Utah school districts across the state. The following Districts in Utah have been awarded funding:
- Granite District has been selected to receive $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
- Park City District has been selected to receive $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
- Uintah District has been selected to receive $690,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
This third round of funding will build on the previous almost $5 million investment secured for clean school buses in Utah via EPA’s 2022 CSB Rebates and 2023 CSB Grants to further improve air quality in and around schools, reduce greenhouse gas pollution and increase students’ access to clean air. This will help Utah accelerate the transition to zero-emission buses from existing diesel-fueled school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities.
"Every student deserves access to clean air, and I think that investing in electric school buses is a great move that can help school districts and local communities achieve just that," said Sophia Cheng, a student at Skyline High School in the Granite School District. "Yesterday's funding announcement marks an incredible step forward for our districts to pilot electric school buses, and I am glad that our local districts are making the effort to improve air quality for their students while also saving money."
"As a student in the Granite School District, I'm excited about the district's efforts to secure electric school bus funds," said Sarai Santiago Gonzalez, a student at Kearns High School. "Diesel exhaust pollution affects us as students, both in terms of health and academics. Transitioning to electric buses is a great move by our district, showing they prioritize the students well-being and what matters to our community. It's a big step forward in our commitment to improve students’ access to clean air and strive for a healthier future. Thank you, Granite District, and EPA for taking this incredible step forward."
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