Purchase will be funded by grant from the Environmental Protection Agency
Fredericksburg City Public Schools has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from the Environnmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus program, which it will use to purchase 10 new electric school buses.
The 10 new buses will be added to the existing electric bus fleet for a total of 20 electric buses.
The Clean School Bus program was created by the bipartisan infrastructure act. Fredericksburg and Culpeper County schools are among 18 in Virginia to receive grant funding through the program. Culpeper will receive $800,000 to purchase four electric buses.
Fredericksburg schools’ spokeswoman Katie Hornung said the division was having to replace two diesel buses per year at a cost of $125,000 to $150,000.
The electric buses require significantly less maintenance and spending on gas, she said. They produce zero emissions and have allowed for “more efficient bus routes” through the city, resulting in “happier riders.”
“Our division is proud to continue its support of City’s Councils 2036 Vision for a Green, Clean Environment and to share these significant savings with our community,” Hornung said.
In a press release announcing the grants, Abigail Spanberger—who voted for the infrastructure act that created the clean bus program—said she is “proud that investments from the [law] will continue to move this transition [from diesel to electric buses] forward in Culpeper, Fredericksburg, and communities across our Commonwealth.”
“These new buses will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect students’ health,” Spanberger said. “Every Virginia child deserves to live in a healthy community and breathe clean air — and this investment will help us protect our environment and pass on a healthy planet to our children and our grandchildren.”
by Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
