White House grants $5M+ to JPS for clean heavy-duty vehicles
TL/DR –
Jackson Public Schools has been granted $5.38 million by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to acquire 15 zero-emission vehicles as part of EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. This program aims to replace internal combustion engine vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, improve air quality, and boost jobs associated with deploying these technologies. The project will use about 70% of the funds to buy clean school buses and install ten 40 kW Level 3 DCFC Charging Stations with dual CCS1 Charging Connectors with 25′ cables, and provide training for the new technologies.
Jackson Public Schools Receives $5.3M for Clean Vehicle Initiative
Jackson Public Schools was awarded $5,383,868 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to procure 15 zero-emission vehicles under the first-ever Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program.
Bus Replacement Project Details
The funds will enable the replacement of 15 Class 6 & 7 diesel school buses with electric ones and the installation of ten 40 kW Level 3 DCFC Charging Stations, equipped with dual CCS1 Charging Connectors and 25′ cables.
About the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program
This grant program, part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, aims to replace internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, build clean vehicle infrastructure, and train workers for zero-emission technologies.
Benefits to the Community
The project aims to reduce harmful emissions, support jobs, and improve air quality, especially in areas burdened by air pollution. Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson lauded the initiative, hailing it as a step towards cleaner air, healthier children, and a sustainable future.
Approximately 70% of the awarded funding will support the purchase of clean school buses, ensuring cleaner air for children commuting to school, as per the EPA.
Additional Funding Uses
Funding may also support zero-emission vehicle adoption, workforce development and training, and project implementation costs.
EPA is expected to finalize awards in early 2025, following the completion of necessary legal and administrative requirements. Project implementation is expected within the next two to three years.
National Impact
The EPA’s Clean School Bus program has awarded nearly $3 billion for almost 9,000 clean school buses to date. In total, 71 applicants across 28 states, 3 Tribal Nations, and 1 territory have been selected to receive $739,841,515 to assist in the purchase of over 2,000 zero-emission vehicles.
Supporting Decarbonization and Clean Freight Strategy
These investments align with the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan noted that these projects would reduce air pollution, enhance infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, and create jobs.
Addressing Air Quality and Health Concerns
Funding is prioritized for communities with air pollution levels exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Pollution is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease and is particularly harmful to children, older adults, those with preexisting cardiopulmonary disease, and lower socioeconomic communities.
Biden’s Justice40 Initiative
This grant program is part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of federal investments to disadvantaged communities marginalized by underinvestment and pollution.
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