October 22, 2024

Warren Celebrates 5 New Zero-Emission School Buses for Worcester Public Schools

Warren Celebrates 5 New Zero-Emission School Buses for Worcester Public Schools 

Boston, MA – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated the announcement that the Worcester Public Schools will replace 5 school buses with zero-emission, clean school buses through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate program. 

The Clean School Bus Program has awarded funding to replace nearly 9,000 natural gas and diesel buses across the country. Funding for the Clean School Bus Program comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $5 billion to transform the country’s fleet of school buses.

“Our children shouldn’t have to breathe in dangerous exhaust while getting to and from school,” said Senator Warren. “I’ve fought hard for clean energy investments for our Commonwealth. Now, Central Massachusetts’ families will have cleaner air, even more buses that are cheaper to repair and don’t guzzle up gas, and savings for the Worcester Public Schools.” 

Senator Warren has advocated for federal funding to jumpstart the transition to all-electric public vehicles and rail and to help tackle the climate crisis: 

  • In July 2024, Senators Warren and Markey and Representatives Lynch, Pressley, and Keating announced nearly $60 million in funding for Massachusetts communities to transition to low- or zero-emission buses. This upgrade is improving bus fleets, reducing transit systems’ reliance on fossil fuels, and curbing diesel-related air pollution along major transit corridors for Black, Brown, and low-income communities who are disproportionately harmed by the impacts of the climate crisis.
  • In May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) reintroduced the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify and modernize public vehicles  and build new electric transportation infrastructure across the country.
  • In January 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced that the Environmental Protection Agency awarded Massachusetts funding for 85 electric school buses under the Clean Bus Grant Program to help school districts replace polluting diesel school buses with electric or low-emission school buses. 
  • In July 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and 33 Commonwealth municipalities, highlighting the benefits of electrifying the Commonwealth’s school bus fleets and encouraging the Associations and their members to take full advantage of the newly-announced EPA Clean School Bus Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity. 
  • In August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $1 billion for states, municipalities, tribes, and nonprofit school transportation associations to use for clean heavy duty vehicles, like school and transit buses and garbage trucks, all in part funded by Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Corporate Profits Minimum Tax to ensure America’s largest corporations pay at least 15% of their massive profits in federal taxes. 
  • In May 2021, Senator Warren and Congressman Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Buy Green Act of 2021. First announced in March 2021, the bill would establish $1.5 trillion in federal procurement commitments over the next ten years to purchase American-made clean, renewable, and emission-free energy products for federal, state, and local use. The bill also establishes a grant program for U.S. companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing.
  • In May 2021, in a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Warren made the case for large-scale federal investments in green infrastructure, as well as her Wealth Tax and other tax proposals as a way to pay for these investments. 
  • In April 2021, in a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Warren made the case for the need to tackle climate change by investing in our nation's clean energy infrastructure, including the replacement of buses powered by diesel with electric buses. 

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