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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued an October 26th news release announcing Arkansas School Districts that have been selected for a total of $4,255,000 that will be used to purchase electric and low-emission school buses.
An October 26th EPA news release from its National Headquarters announced the total school district recipients across the nation that will receive $913 million.
The named Arkansas school districts to receive grants include:
- Wonderview
- Blytheville
- Alpena
- Danville
EPA also announced applicant school districts that were not selected for funding in the initial lottery process but could potentially be eligible if one or more of the selected school districts are deemed ineligible or drop out of the program. The Arkansas school districts on the wait list include:
- Booneville
- Cave City
- Clarksville
- Clinton
- Cross County
- Farmington
- Forrest City
- Fort Smith
- Fouke
- Gurdon
- Izard County Cons.
- Jackson County
- Jasper County
- Lake Hamilton
- Lincoln
- Little Rock
- Marmaduke
- Mountain Home
- Perryville
- Quitman
- Rivercrest
- Scranton
- Texarkana
- Trumann
- Woodlawn
EPA states that the initial school districts were selected through a lottery system but that the agency set up a process in which it would distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and several federally recognized tribes and U.S. territories. School Districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and/or Tribal students are stated to make up 99% of the projects that were selected.
EPA states that additional rounds of grants through this program will be undertaken in the future. As a result, the federal agency is encouraging school districts not selected or that did not apply to participate in future rounds.
The objective of the Clean School Bus Program is stated to focus on:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Reducing expenditures for school districts
- Producing clean air
- Phasing out of diesel engines
Links to the two EPA news releases can be found below.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-1-billion-epas-clean-school-bus-program
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-4000000-clean-school-bus-funding-school-districts-arkansas#:~:text=DALLAS%2C%20TEXAS%20(October%2026th%2C,Law%20to%20Arkansas%20school%20districts.
