COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) – Over the following 5 years, $5 billion will likely be unfold across the nation to place extra electrical college buses on the highway.

The federal authorities just lately introduced the primary spherical of funding, totaling round $1 billion, and South Carolina colleges will obtain one of many greatest cuts: greater than $58 million, going to 16 college districts.

South Carolina’s complete is the third highest amongst all states within the nation.

“It actually places South Carolina on the forefront of this entire motion, and so once more, we’re actually excited to have been awarded the quantity of funding that we have been,” Mike Bullman, transportation director for the South Carolina Division of Schooling, mentioned.

The next districts will obtain a mixed $58.4 million to buy 148 electrical buses and charging stations:

• Abbeville 60: $3.16 million for 4 buses
• Anderson 3: $1.58 million for 4 buses
• Anderson 5: $4.74 million for 12 buses
• Barnwell 45: $1.975 million for 5 buses
• Chester 1: $3.16 million for eight buses
• Dorchester 4: $3.16 million for eight buses
• Fairfield 1: $3.16 million for eight buses
• Georgetown 1: $6.32 million for 16 buses
• Hampton: $3.16 million for eight buses
• Jasper 1: $1.58 million for 4 buses
• Laurens 56: $2.765 million for seven buses
• Marion 10: $4.74 million for 12 buses
• McCormick 1: $1.58 million for 4 buses
• Orangeburg: $6.32 million for 16 buses
• Richland 1: $6.32 million for 16 buses
• Sumter 1: $4.74 million for 12 buses

The Environmental Safety Company awarded this cash via its Clear College Bus Program and obtained almost $4 billion in requests for this primary spherical of funding.

An automatic system on a pc ranked college districts primarily based on sure standards, prioritizing lower-income and underserved districts, in line with EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe.

Engines in conventional diesel buses give off diesel emissions, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, breathed in by college students and drivers. These merchandise are multiplied by the numerous variety of college buses throughout the nation driving routes 5 days every week for a lot of the 12 months.

“From a public well being and a local weather change perspective, it’s simply sort of a no brainer to maneuver to cleaner transportation,” McCabe mentioned.

South Carolina is the one state within the nation during which its Division of Schooling owns and operates all of its college buses, versus districts being in that function, in line with Bullman.

He mentioned beneath the state’s contract, the price of an electrical college bus is greater than thrice the price of a standard diesel bus.

The cash from the EPA, coming within the type of a rebate, will cowl the complete value of the 148 electrical buses, Bullman mentioned.

“A significantly better setting for the coed. It’s quieter, definitely cleaner, and all these issues that go together with it, so once more, we’re enthusiastic about the advantages it brings to the scholars,” he mentioned.

The EPA hopes these buses will likely be on the highway by subsequent college 12 months.

In the long term, they need to save taxpayer {dollars}, the EPA and state Division of Schooling each attested.

“They’ve much less upkeep,” McCabe mentioned. “Over time, the prices are decrease. They don’t should take care of the worth volatility of gasoline. The value of gasoline goes up and down, however the worth of electrical energy is way more steady.”

The $5 billion for this program comes from the bipartisan infrastructure regulation President Joe Biden signed final 12 months.

A couple of third of South Carolina’s cash goes to districts within the state’s sixth Congressional District, represented by Democrat Jim Clyburn.

“I’m happy to see how the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act is continuous to serve South Carolina in our pursuit to enhance high quality of life via infrastructure,” Clyburn mentioned. “This funding will present college students with the dependable transportation they deserve whereas lowering local weather air pollution.”

The EPA says it hopes these buses will likely be on the highway by subsequent college 12 months.

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