EPA Awards Funding through Clean School Buses Program

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The EPA and Biden Administration announced grant awards to 280 school districts to help them convert to EVs for student transportation. This is the latest action the Administration has taken to combat climate change and support the national conversion to clean energy. 

Traditional school buses use diesel engines, which contribute roughly 3 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile. They’ll be exchanged for clean energy electric buses.

Carbon and other toxic emissions can negatively impact the health of surrounding communities. Switching to clean, low-emission transportation will improve air quality around schools and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

The grants help cover the costs of purchasing new buses and creating charging station infrastructure. Schools in low-income, rural, and Tribal communities make up about 86% of the districts chosen for funding. This aligns with the Biden Justice 40 Initiative, which seeks to bring 40% of overall benefits from federal investments to underserved communities. 

EPA Administrator Michael Regan stated in a press call Monday that there is more funding to come. They will continue to accept applications for the program until Jan. 31. 

White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi was also present at Monday’s call. “For that kid who walks down their driveway, they’re no longer going to jump into a bus that pumps toxins into their lungs, they’re no longer going to hear that roar of a diesel engine.”

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The combustion of fossil fuels increases the risk of respiratory illness in children. Greenhouse gas emissions are the main contributor to climate change and have in turn lengthened the annual growing season. Because of this, there has been a rise in pollen levels that increase seasonal air allergens. 

Electric vehicle sales, both commercial and residential, have risen significantly in recent years. 1.4 million EVs were sold in 2023 alone, a rise of over 50% in one year. As of today, there are close to 170,000 public charging stations across the country. 

The driving range of electric school buses varies between 75 to 210 miles. EVs produce significantly less carbon emissions than their fossil fuel counterparts. In the average lifecycle electric buses produce 247 fewer tons of carbon dioxide than ones powered by fossil fuels.

The Downside to EV Production and Clean Buses

However, there is a dark side to electric vehicle manufacturing. The surge in production of clean energy vehicles has called for an increase in cobalt mining. 

The Democratic Republic of Congo is currently the site of many humanitarian crises. Political and military conflicts have risen over the past several decades. This has further been exacerbated by the country’s rich resource reserves. DRC has the world’s largest cobalt reserves and the 7th largest copper reserves. This has made the country of great global interest. 

Cobalt increases the energy density and charging speed of large batteries. However, child labor is responsible for a significant portion of cobalt mining operations. Despite the health risks and dangerous nature of obtaining cobalt, children only receive up to 2.50 USD a day for their labor.