Summary
- Livingston Parish and Jefferson Parish receive a total of $12.7 million to purchase 45 zero-emission vehicles
- The funding will help in replacing high-polluting diesel school buses with zero-emission battery electric school buses
- The projects are part of EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program under President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act
- The program aims to reduce harmful emissions, support jobs, and improve air quality in overburdened communities
- The grant program prioritizes disadvantaged communities facing air quality challenges and will fund projects serving nonattainment areas with National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Article
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Livingston Parish and Jefferson Parish have been selected to receive a combined total of $12,700,000 to assist in the purchase of 45 zero-emission vehicles through its Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. This initiative, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, aims to accelerate the adoption of clean technologies to address the impacts of climate change. The selected projects will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country.
Jefferson Parish will receive $7,100,000 to replace 25 Class 7 diesel school buses with zero-emission, battery electric school buses, while Livingston Parish will receive $5,600,000 to replace 20 diesel school buses with zero-emission electric buses. These grants also include the installation of DCFC charging stations and necessary infrastructure work to accommodate the charging stations. The goal is to transition from high-polluting vehicles to cleaner transportation solutions, ultimately reducing air pollution and enhancing environmental justice.
Across the nation, there are over 3 million Class 6 and Class 7 heavy-duty vehicles in use, many of which emit harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter. The pollution from these vehicles can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and those with preexisting health conditions. By replacing older diesel vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, the EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program aims to protect the health of millions of Americans living near truck freight routes.
The Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will also support the purchase of other eligible zero-emission vehicles, including box trucks, cargo trucks, emergency vehicles, school buses, shuttle buses, transit buses, and utility vehicles. Additionally, the program funds zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, workforce development, and training. Roughly 70% of the funding awarded will go towards purchasing clean school buses, aligning with the Biden-Harris administration’s National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.
Under the Justice40 Initiative, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits to disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. Funding prioritizes communities facing air quality challenges, including those in nonattainment with EPA’s air quality standards. The EPA anticipates finalizing awards in early 2025 and implementing projects over the next two to three years. These investments align with the administration’s efforts to accelerate the transition to cleaner transportation solutions and reduce emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
In conclusion, the EPA’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program supports the purchase of zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure to reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles and improve air quality in communities across the country. By replacing older diesel vehicles with cleaner alternatives, the program aims to protect public health, create jobs, and accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation solutions. Additionally, the initiative aligns with the administration’s efforts to address climate change, promote environmental justice, and deliver benefits to disadvantaged communities.
Read the full article here
