Sen. Menendez Announces $19M in Clean School Buses Grants to Five New Jersey School Districts Across the State

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today announced $19 million to New Jersey through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. The awards will help school districts in Lakewood, Newark, Elizabeth, Union City and Bloomfield purchase clean school buses. By accelerating the transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles, these awards will improve air quality for children and their families, advance environmental justice, boost the economy and create good-paying jobs.

“I’m proud to have secured this $19 million in grant funding that serves to continue bettering the air quality for New Jersey’s students, bus drivers, school staff, and the surrounding communities. As the world works to transition from outdated technologies that release high levels of emissions to low- and zero-emission vehicles, grants like these ensure school buses are not left behind and instead help contribute in the fight against pollution,” said Sen. Menendez. “Too many children and school staff are suffering from asthma and other health conditions exacerbated by their exposure to the air pollution emitted by older diesel engines. Transitioning to green school buses helps protect these vulnerable communities while also unlocking critical funding resources that can be used for schools instead of fuel.”

The Clean School Bus Program will set school districts and surrounding communities on a path to better health outcomes. Traditionally, air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions that can lead to increased school absences. Phasing out these older diesel engines, which disproportionately affects and communities of color, ensures cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working near bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.

EPA’s $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, includes both a grant program where selected applicants are awarded funds to purchase buses, and a rebate program that allows selectees to receive awards before purchasing eligible buses that replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models. The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, producing zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, resulting in lower tailpipe emissions to their older diesel predecessors.

In June, Sen. Menendez announced $47 million for the New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) Corporation to modernize the Hilton Bus Garage, located in Maplewood to accommodate battery-electric buses and increase transit service to densely populated communities and frequently travelled areas through emission conscious vehicle deployment. This will include electrification equipment and a worker training program.

In January, Sen. Menendez announced a total of $11,298,010 million in federal transportation grants for two New Jersey ferry services awarded through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant program. NJ Transit and the NY Waterway received $7.298 million to repower the propulsion systems of four NY Waterway’s older ferry vessels to hybrid technology, and eventually, pure electric technology. Monmouth County was awarded $4 million to make critical repairs and improvements to the Belford Ferry Terminal in Middletown.