Legislative Affairs

  • 1.  EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 05-05-2022 08:27

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released new information regarding its new $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, as authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; aka the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) passed last year.

    In a recent webinar on the Clean School Bus Rebate program, EPA shared the following information:

    • The first round of funding ($1 billion for 2022; the grant is $5 billion over five years from 2022-2026)-will take the form of rebates as a means to get buses into districts without a prolonged grant application process. The actual application for the rebates will be posted in early May according to the EPA. Applications for the rebates will remain open for 3 months to give operations time to prepare and submit.

    • Half the funding ($500 million) is for 'zero emission' (electric) school buses and the other half ($500 million) is for 'clean and zero emission' (electric/zero emission, propane, or compressed natural gas [CNG]) school buses.

    • Rebates will be prioritized for districts that meet one or more criteria such as: status as a high needs district in a low-income area, or rural districts that meet certain specifications, or tribal schools.

    • Buses eligible for replacement must be 2010 or older diesel-powered buses, with some exceptions.

    • Buses eligible for replacement must be 10,001 pounds or more, be operational, and meet certain duty standards.

    • New buses must have a battery electric, CNG, or propane drivetrain and be EPA certified model 2021 or newer, have a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more and other criteria spelled out in the guidelines.

    • Private contractors are not directly eligible for funding but can receive benefits by working collaboratively with the districts that they serve. See webinar slides for more information.

     

    What Next?

    • Any district looking to take advantage of the program should first register for an account with gov so they can receive a notice when the grant process opens, and other information and guidelines associated with the funding. Funding will be awarded in the fall of 2022 and districts will have until April 2023 to submit purchase orders for purposes of obtaining their refund.

    • Interested districts should begin now getting their specifications in order including ensuring that the buses or equipment they intend to purchase meet the standards set out by EPA. Note that EPA has set standards not only for the new buses/equipment but also for the buses/equipment that will be replaced. This is intended to ensure that the funds yield the greatest environmental benefits.

    • Learn more information on EPA's Clean School Bus Funding website.

     

    Many thanks to our friends at the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) for sharing this information. For more information about how ASBO International, NAPT, and AASA are working together on school bus electrification issues, read our press release about our new Electric School Bus Collaborative.



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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 2.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 05-17-2022 13:30

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is hosting a webinar about its new Clean School Bus Rebate Program on Tuesday, May 24 at 1 PM (Eastern Time) to discuss how school districts can apply for zero-emission and clean school bus rebates. Attendees will learn who is eligible to apply, what the selection and award processes and timelines are, and what resources are available to help districts apply and move toward cleaner and more energy-efficient modes of transportation.

    Register here.

    Note: The application window is open from May-August 2022. The first round of funding under this program will provide $500 million in rebates for zero-emission and clean school buses. If EPA sees high demand for this program, they may decide to make more funding available for the 2022 application cycle, so we encourage districts who are interested to apply ASAP. 



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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 3.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 06-28-2022 09:41
    EPA's 2022 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate program application is now open through August 19, 2022. The program has $500 million available for schools to apply for clean buses -- to learn more, register for any of EPA's upcoming webinars listed below:

    • June 29 @ 1PM ET – How to Apply w/ Live Question & Answer Session
    • July 13 @ 1PM ET – Office of the Inspector General: Fraud Prevention & Best Practices
    • July 27 @ 1PM ET – How to Apply w/ Live Question & Answer Session
    • August 10 @ 1PM ET – U.S. Department of Agriculture: Rural Electric Cooperatives Infrastructure Funding

     

    To apply, SAM.gov entity registration is required. Find additional information via these resources:

    • Click here to view the program guidance and a list of eligible/priority applicants.
    • Click here to begin the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Application process.
    • Click here to sign-up for the Clean School Bus News listserv.
      • Add cleanschoolbus@epa.gov to your email contacts to guarantee you receive regular program updates and our messages don't go to your spam folder.
    • Click here to access the EPA Clean School Bus website to learn more about the program and the benefits of clean school buses.
    • Email cleanschoolbus@epa.gov with any questions or feedback to improve the program.


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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 4.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 08-22-2022 13:55
    On August 19, the first application window for EPA's Clean School Bus Rebates closed, and now the EPA is encouraging district stakeholders to join their webinar on Wednesday, August 24 at 1PM (ET) to learn about the next steps for the program. Attendees will hear about feedback gathered during the application process, share any additional feedback to improve future programs, and learn about the rebate program's selection process, paperwork requirements, and anticipated timeline. 

    Register for the webinar here.

    In preparation for the next Clean School Bus funding opportunity, EPA recommends reading the 2022 Rebates Program Guidance on EPA's website and talking with your community's utility provider(s), and transportation, maintenance, and facilities teams to develop a plan to bring clean school buses to your school district. All applications submitted to EPA by the deadline will be placed in a single ordered list using a random number generator lottery process. (Read Section 6 of the Program Guide for more information.)

    For the latest information on Clean School Bus funding opportunities, news, and resources, please visit: www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus.

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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 5.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 09-22-2022 14:35
    Edited by ASBO USA 09-22-2022 14:35

    EPA announced it will be hosting another webinar to hold a virtual listening session on its Clean School Bus (CSB) Program on October 5 at 1:00PM ET.

    REGISTER HERE.

    EPA is requesting feedback on the following questions, specifically: 

    1. What type of support do you need to plan for, apply for, and implement a CSB grant?
    2. How can the CSB Grant Program address gaps in the 2022 CSB Rebate Program?
    3. What is the minimum or maximum number of buses school districts want to fund under a single grant award?
    4. The legislation allows EPA to give priority to applicants that leverage outside resources. Are school districts able contribute financial resources to grant projects?
    5. Are there eligible applicants, such as nonprofit associations or eligible contractors (i.e., bus dealers) with the resources to implement grant projects that will server multiple school districts and/or private bus fleets?


    NOTE: Eligible recipients for funding through this new program include: state and local governments, certain contractors, nonprofit school transportation associations, and Tribes, Tribal organizations or Tribally-controlled schools. EPA will provide an overview of the legislation and seeks feedback from stakeholders on developing a successful program to achieve nationwide deployment of clean and zero-emission school buses. Webinar participants will have an opportunity to speak for up to two minutes to provide feedback. Depending on participation, not every attendee may have time to speak, but interested parties may also submit suggestions about program implementation to cleanschoolbus@epa.gov.

    Reminder for those who applied during the first rebate application window, which closed in August 2022:
    All applications submitted to EPA by the rebate deadline will be placed in a single ordered list using a random number generator lottery process. Click here to read the Section 6 of the Program Guide for more information. Visit the Clean School Bus Program website to watch previous webinars, review technical assistance resources, and more!



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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 6.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 10-05-2022 11:46
    Last week, EPA announced that it would award extra funding for its Clean School Bus Rebate Program due to overwhelming demand from school districts seeking to electrify their bus fleets. Instead of only making $500 million available for its first round of funding, EPA will nearly double that amount to award $965 million for its FY22 reward cycle.

    EPA received around 2,000 applications requesting nearly $4 billion for over 12,000 buses. More than 90 percent of buses requested were for zero-emission electric buses. Nearly 9 percent of applications were for propane buses and 1 percent were for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. EPA is currently reviewing submitted applications to determine eligibility and make final selections. EPA anticipates notifying rebate applicants of their selection status in October 2022. Once notified, selected school districts can 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. After the selectees submit the proper forms, they will be eligible to receive rebate funds.

    EPA is in the process of designing the next round of funding for FY23 which will include another rebate program and a new competitive grant program. EPA plans to make another $1 billion available for clean school buses for FY23. Learn more in EPA's press release.

    For those who would like to provide input on EPA's Clean School Bus Program, here is a friendly reminder to register to attend their webinar today at 1PM ET.

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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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  • 7.  RE: EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program

    Posted 10-26-2022 14:45
    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 nearly $1 billion from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 389 school districts spanning 50 states, Washington, DC, and several Tribes and U.S. territories. The grants will help school districts purchase over 2,400 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.

    Learn more in the administration's full press release and find a list of all award recipients here.


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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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