Biden-Harris Administration Announces nearly $20 million from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for Alabama School Districts
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (October 27, 2022) – On October 26, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding nearly $20 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 4 school districts in Ala. The grants will help school districts purchase over 52 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join schoolchildren, district leaders and community members in Seattle, Washington, later today to make the announcement and highlight how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”
“Children’s health is a top priority for EPA and this historic funding is an innovative way to reduce the serious health impacts of diesel emissions as children ride to and from school,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “The BIL Clean School Bus Program will improve air quality and human health not only for our children, but for the communities where they live and play.”
Today’s announcement includes funding for buses and infrastructure for districts in cities like:
Fairfield, Ala. Fairfield City $3,555,000
Tuscumbia, Ala. Tuscumbia City School District $395,000
Albertville, Ala. Albertville City $7,505,000
Anniston, Ala. Anniston City $9,085,000
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
###
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join schoolchildren, district leaders and community members in Seattle, Washington, later today to make the announcement and highlight how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”
“Children’s health is a top priority for EPA and this historic funding is an innovative way to reduce the serious health impacts of diesel emissions as children ride to and from school,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “The BIL Clean School Bus Program will improve air quality and human health not only for our children, but for the communities where they live and play.”
Today’s announcement includes funding for buses and infrastructure for districts in cities like:
Fairfield, Ala. Fairfield City $3,555,000
Tuscumbia, Ala. Tuscumbia City School District $395,000
Albertville, Ala. Albertville City $7,505,000
Anniston, Ala. Anniston City $9,085,000
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
###
EPA, City of Dallas Recognize Lead Poisoning Prevention Week at West Dallas Community Center
DALLAS, TEXAS (Oct. 27, 2022) – This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of Children’s Environmental Health Month, recognizes Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. To increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning, Regional Administrator Earthea Nance and staff from EPA Region 6 spoke with children and families at the Wesley Rankin Community Center in Dallas, Texas. The event was held in partnership with the city of Dallas Environmental Commission.
“Lead exposure and poisoning remain threats for children, especially those who live or go to school in older buildings, and can lead to lifelong health issues,” said Regional Administrator Earthea Nance. “But the good news is these threats are largely preventable by avoiding exposure. During Lead Poisoning Prevention Week—and throughout the year—EPA and the Biden-Harris Administration will keep working to raise awareness and provide investments to keep children all across the nation safe in their homes and schools.”
“As someone who grew up in the shadow of a lead smelter plant in West Dallas, I firmly believe in the importance of understanding the risks of lead poisoning and exposure,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. “All of our children deserve to grow up in safe and healthy communities, and I am grateful to the EPA for its work to raise awareness of this issue in Dallas.”
RA Nance read a book and led an activity on the dangers of lead with a group of young children at the Wesley Rankin Community Center. She and Region 6 staff also spoke with parents and distributed educational materials on common lead exposures and how to avoid them. The center serves families in West Dallas, an area with many homes built before 1978, when lead was banned in paint in the United States.
EPA and the city of Dallas also joined for another event at the Margaret Cone Head Start facility in Southeast Dallas, where staff read with children and distributed educational materials for parents.
Although the federal government banned residential use of lead-based paint in 1978, it is still present in millions of older homes. Infants, children, and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, which can, even at low levels, cause lifelong impacts including developmental impairment, learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention span, hyperactivity and behavioral problems. A blood-lead test is the only way to determine if a child has an elevated blood-lead level. Parents who think their child has been in contact with lead should contact their health care provider.
EPA includes Lead Poisoning Prevention Week as part of Children’s Health Month, celebrated each October. EPA’s Office of Children’s Environmental Health was established to ensure EPA’s work consistently accounts for the way environmental hazards affect infants and children. Children are often more vulnerable to pollutants than adults due to differences in behavior and biology, that can lead to greater exposure and/or unique windows of susceptibility during development.
Visit EPA’s Children’s Health webpage to learn more about the Agency’s work to protect children’s environmental health.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
“Lead exposure and poisoning remain threats for children, especially those who live or go to school in older buildings, and can lead to lifelong health issues,” said Regional Administrator Earthea Nance. “But the good news is these threats are largely preventable by avoiding exposure. During Lead Poisoning Prevention Week—and throughout the year—EPA and the Biden-Harris Administration will keep working to raise awareness and provide investments to keep children all across the nation safe in their homes and schools.”
“As someone who grew up in the shadow of a lead smelter plant in West Dallas, I firmly believe in the importance of understanding the risks of lead poisoning and exposure,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson. “All of our children deserve to grow up in safe and healthy communities, and I am grateful to the EPA for its work to raise awareness of this issue in Dallas.”
RA Nance read a book and led an activity on the dangers of lead with a group of young children at the Wesley Rankin Community Center. She and Region 6 staff also spoke with parents and distributed educational materials on common lead exposures and how to avoid them. The center serves families in West Dallas, an area with many homes built before 1978, when lead was banned in paint in the United States.
EPA and the city of Dallas also joined for another event at the Margaret Cone Head Start facility in Southeast Dallas, where staff read with children and distributed educational materials for parents.
Although the federal government banned residential use of lead-based paint in 1978, it is still present in millions of older homes. Infants, children, and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, which can, even at low levels, cause lifelong impacts including developmental impairment, learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention span, hyperactivity and behavioral problems. A blood-lead test is the only way to determine if a child has an elevated blood-lead level. Parents who think their child has been in contact with lead should contact their health care provider.
EPA includes Lead Poisoning Prevention Week as part of Children’s Health Month, celebrated each October. EPA’s Office of Children’s Environmental Health was established to ensure EPA’s work consistently accounts for the way environmental hazards affect infants and children. Children are often more vulnerable to pollutants than adults due to differences in behavior and biology, that can lead to greater exposure and/or unique windows of susceptibility during development.
Visit EPA’s Children’s Health webpage to learn more about the Agency’s work to protect children’s environmental health.
Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage.
La EPA lanza la primera estrategia de toda la agencia para reducir la exposición al plomo y las disparidades en las comunidades de los Estados Unidos
WASHINGTON (27 de octubre de 2022) Hoy, la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés) publicó su Estrategia para Reducir la Exposición al Plomo y las Disparidades en las Comunidades de los Estados Unidos (Estrategia del Plomo), junto con la Semana Nacional de Prevención del Envenenamiento por Plomo. Esta primera Estrategia del Plomo para toda la agencia describe la manera en que la EPA utilizará su conjunto completo de autoridad, experiencia y recursos para reducir la exposición al plomo en las comunidades sobrecargadas por la contaminación y avanzar en el compromiso de la Administración Biden-Harris con la justicia ambiental y la equidad. Los esfuerzos descritos en la estrategia para proteger al público de la contaminación por plomo están respaldados por las inversiones históricas conforme a la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura del presidente Biden.
“La evidencia es clara. Los niños expuestos al plomo tienen más probabilidades de enfrentar impactos adversos para la salud y otras dificultades graves a lo largo de la vida, desde un crecimiento y desarrollo lentos hasta discapacidades de aprendizaje y comportamiento”, indicó el administrador de la EPA, Michael S. Regan. “En combinación con las inversiones históricas de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura del presidente Biden, esta estrategia acelerará nuestros esfuerzos para identificar la exposición al plomo desde el principio y eliminar las disparidades raciales y socioeconómicas en los niveles de plomo en la sangre al conectar a las comunidades con recursos que pueden reducir la exposición al plomo”.
La multifacética Estrategia del Plomo de la EPA tiene como objetivo reducir la exposición de la comunidad a las fuentes de plomo; identificar a las comunidades con altas exposiciones al plomo y mejorar sus resultados de salud; mejorar el compromiso con las comunidades y las partes interesadas; y apoyar la investigación crítica para informar los esfuerzos destinados a reducir la exposición al plomo y los riesgos para la salud relacionados.
Este trabajo está respaldado por el nivel sin precedentes de recursos que fluyen a la EPA a través de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura del presidente Biden, que incluye $15 mil millones en fondos dedicados para reemplazar tuberías de plomo y tuberías de servicio y eliminar el plomo del suelo y los sitios contaminados. Estas inversiones históricas incluyen:
$1.16 mil millones para apoyar proyectos de tuberías principales de servicio en 21 estados, el Distrito de Columbia y tres territorios.
$600 millones para limpiar proyectos de construcción en más de 50 sitios Superfund donde el plomo es un contaminante preocupante.
$25 millones en los próximos 5 años para apoyar a las comunidades pequeñas y desfavorecidas en el desarrollo de tecnologías de identificación de tuberías principales de servicio, asegurando una distribución eficiente y equitativa de los recursos a través de los Fondos Rotativos Estatales de la EPA.
Además, esta nueva estrategia avanza el compromiso de la Administración Biden-Harris de reemplazar las tuberías de plomo y apoyar la eliminación de pintura con plomo conforme al Plan de Acción de Tuberías y Pintura de Plomo.
La exposición al plomo puede causar efectos adversos para la salud en casi todos los órganos y sistemas del cuerpo humano. El sistema nervioso se ve especialmente atacado por el plomo en los niños y adultos y la exposición puede causar disminuciones irreversibles y de por vida en el aprendizaje, la memoria y la atención. La exposición continua al plomo en el medioambiente presenta un riesgo para la salud de muchas personas en todo el país. Esto es especialmente cierto en las comunidades sobrecargadas por la contaminación, que son desproporcionadamente comunidades de color y comunidades de bajos ingresos. Las comunidades de color también pueden enfrentar un mayor riesgo debido a las prácticas discriminatorias de préstamos en el pasado, la segregación racial histórica en la vivienda y el acceso reducido a viviendas ecológicamente seguras y asequibles.
A través de esta estrategia, la EPA está iniciando varias acciones nuevas y asegurando que los programas establecidos en toda la agencia se aprovechen en conjunto para garantizar protecciones más sólidas contra la exposición al plomo. Las nuevas acciones en la estrategia incluyen:
Aceleradores del reemplazo de tuberías de servicio de plomo, que proporcionarán asistencia técnica específica y desarrollarán las mejores prácticas para ayudar a abordar las barreras que enfrentan las comunidades desfavorecidas al reemplazar las tuberías de servicio de plomo.
Nueva colaboración de la agencia federal con la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos y la Comisión de Seguridad de Productos del Consumidor para abordar el plomo en alimentos, cosméticos y otros bienes de consumo.
El desarrollo de nuevos materiales educativos y de participación sobre la salud infantil y materna con respecto al plomo y los metales pesados en productos culturales y utensilios de cocina.
Además de estas nuevas acciones, la estrategia describe, por primera vez, un enfoque de toda la agencia para los programas, regulaciones y políticas existentes, asegurando la coordinación para proteger al público de la exposición al plomo. Estos programas existentes incluyen cursos de capacitación para contratistas certificados de renovación, reparación y pintura, programas de educación y difusión comunitaria sobre los riesgos asociados con la pintura a base de plomo, y recursos para pruebas de plomo en escuelas y programas de cuidado infantil.
La EPA monitoreará el progreso de la implementación a través de una serie de medidas descritas en la estrategia, incluidos los hitos para reevaluar las regulaciones y las métricas del programa, como completar 225 limpiezas Superfund de contaminación por plomo para el otoño de 2026. A medida que avanza la implementación, la EPA continuará fortaleciendo esta labor y tomará medidas para alcanzar los objetivos descritos en esta estrategia.
La participación con las comunidades de todo el país, así como con los socios de gobierno federal, tribales, estatales y locales, fue parte integral del desarrollo de la Estrategia de Plomo, y la estrategia final refleja los comentarios de una amplia gama de partes interesadas de todo el país. Tras la publicación del borrador de la Estrategia del Plomo el año pasado, la EPA solicitó comentarios del público, organizando 11 sesiones públicas de escucha, una en cada una de las 10 regiones de la EPA y una sesión de participación para las tribus. La agencia también recibió miles de comentarios del público que informaron y mejoraron la estrategia final.
Lea la Estrategia del Plomo. (En Inglés)
“La evidencia es clara. Los niños expuestos al plomo tienen más probabilidades de enfrentar impactos adversos para la salud y otras dificultades graves a lo largo de la vida, desde un crecimiento y desarrollo lentos hasta discapacidades de aprendizaje y comportamiento”, indicó el administrador de la EPA, Michael S. Regan. “En combinación con las inversiones históricas de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura del presidente Biden, esta estrategia acelerará nuestros esfuerzos para identificar la exposición al plomo desde el principio y eliminar las disparidades raciales y socioeconómicas en los niveles de plomo en la sangre al conectar a las comunidades con recursos que pueden reducir la exposición al plomo”.
La multifacética Estrategia del Plomo de la EPA tiene como objetivo reducir la exposición de la comunidad a las fuentes de plomo; identificar a las comunidades con altas exposiciones al plomo y mejorar sus resultados de salud; mejorar el compromiso con las comunidades y las partes interesadas; y apoyar la investigación crítica para informar los esfuerzos destinados a reducir la exposición al plomo y los riesgos para la salud relacionados.
Este trabajo está respaldado por el nivel sin precedentes de recursos que fluyen a la EPA a través de la Ley Bipartidista de Infraestructura del presidente Biden, que incluye $15 mil millones en fondos dedicados para reemplazar tuberías de plomo y tuberías de servicio y eliminar el plomo del suelo y los sitios contaminados. Estas inversiones históricas incluyen:
$1.16 mil millones para apoyar proyectos de tuberías principales de servicio en 21 estados, el Distrito de Columbia y tres territorios.
$600 millones para limpiar proyectos de construcción en más de 50 sitios Superfund donde el plomo es un contaminante preocupante.
$25 millones en los próximos 5 años para apoyar a las comunidades pequeñas y desfavorecidas en el desarrollo de tecnologías de identificación de tuberías principales de servicio, asegurando una distribución eficiente y equitativa de los recursos a través de los Fondos Rotativos Estatales de la EPA.
Además, esta nueva estrategia avanza el compromiso de la Administración Biden-Harris de reemplazar las tuberías de plomo y apoyar la eliminación de pintura con plomo conforme al Plan de Acción de Tuberías y Pintura de Plomo.
La exposición al plomo puede causar efectos adversos para la salud en casi todos los órganos y sistemas del cuerpo humano. El sistema nervioso se ve especialmente atacado por el plomo en los niños y adultos y la exposición puede causar disminuciones irreversibles y de por vida en el aprendizaje, la memoria y la atención. La exposición continua al plomo en el medioambiente presenta un riesgo para la salud de muchas personas en todo el país. Esto es especialmente cierto en las comunidades sobrecargadas por la contaminación, que son desproporcionadamente comunidades de color y comunidades de bajos ingresos. Las comunidades de color también pueden enfrentar un mayor riesgo debido a las prácticas discriminatorias de préstamos en el pasado, la segregación racial histórica en la vivienda y el acceso reducido a viviendas ecológicamente seguras y asequibles.
A través de esta estrategia, la EPA está iniciando varias acciones nuevas y asegurando que los programas establecidos en toda la agencia se aprovechen en conjunto para garantizar protecciones más sólidas contra la exposición al plomo. Las nuevas acciones en la estrategia incluyen:
Aceleradores del reemplazo de tuberías de servicio de plomo, que proporcionarán asistencia técnica específica y desarrollarán las mejores prácticas para ayudar a abordar las barreras que enfrentan las comunidades desfavorecidas al reemplazar las tuberías de servicio de plomo.
Nueva colaboración de la agencia federal con la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos y la Comisión de Seguridad de Productos del Consumidor para abordar el plomo en alimentos, cosméticos y otros bienes de consumo.
El desarrollo de nuevos materiales educativos y de participación sobre la salud infantil y materna con respecto al plomo y los metales pesados en productos culturales y utensilios de cocina.
Además de estas nuevas acciones, la estrategia describe, por primera vez, un enfoque de toda la agencia para los programas, regulaciones y políticas existentes, asegurando la coordinación para proteger al público de la exposición al plomo. Estos programas existentes incluyen cursos de capacitación para contratistas certificados de renovación, reparación y pintura, programas de educación y difusión comunitaria sobre los riesgos asociados con la pintura a base de plomo, y recursos para pruebas de plomo en escuelas y programas de cuidado infantil.
La EPA monitoreará el progreso de la implementación a través de una serie de medidas descritas en la estrategia, incluidos los hitos para reevaluar las regulaciones y las métricas del programa, como completar 225 limpiezas Superfund de contaminación por plomo para el otoño de 2026. A medida que avanza la implementación, la EPA continuará fortaleciendo esta labor y tomará medidas para alcanzar los objetivos descritos en esta estrategia.
La participación con las comunidades de todo el país, así como con los socios de gobierno federal, tribales, estatales y locales, fue parte integral del desarrollo de la Estrategia de Plomo, y la estrategia final refleja los comentarios de una amplia gama de partes interesadas de todo el país. Tras la publicación del borrador de la Estrategia del Plomo el año pasado, la EPA solicitó comentarios del público, organizando 11 sesiones públicas de escucha, una en cada una de las 10 regiones de la EPA y una sesión de participación para las tribus. La agencia también recibió miles de comentarios del público que informaron y mejoraron la estrategia final.
Lea la Estrategia del Plomo. (En Inglés)
Biden-Harris Administration Announces nearly $59 million from EPA’s Clean School Bus Program for South Carolina Districts
COLUMBIA, SC (October 27, 2022) - On October 26, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the Fiscal Year 2022 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition, awarding nearly $59 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 16 school districts in SC. The grants will help school districts purchase over 148 clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join schoolchildren, district leaders and community members in Seattle, Washington, later today to make the announcement and highlight how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”
“The infrastructure bill is delivering critical resources for the communities I represent, which has always been my top priority,” said Congressman Clyburn. “This initial investment of $58 million for South Carolina, including $25.28 million for the Sixth District, will have a lasting impact on rural communities by providing students with reliable and climate-friendly transportation. South Carolina received the third greatest allocation of all the states in this round of awards, and there will be additional funding to come over the next four years of this program to assist even more communities across the state.”
“Children’s health is a top priority for EPA and this historic funding is an innovative way to reduce the serious health impacts of diesel emissions as children ride to and from school,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “The BIL Clean School Bus Program will improve air quality and human health not only for our children, but for the communities where they live and play.”
Today’s announcement includes funding for buses and infrastructure for districts in cities like:
Abbeville, SC Abbeville 60 $3,160,000
Anderson, SC Anderson 05 $4,740,000
Barnwell, SC Barnwell 45 $1,975,000
Chester, SC Chester 01 $3,160,000
Clinton, SC Lauren 56 $2,765,000
Columbia, SC Richland 01 $6,320,000
Georgetown, SC Georgetown 01 $6,320,000
Iva, SC Anderson 03 $1,580,000
Marion, SC Marion 10 $4,740,000
McCormick, SC McCormick 01 $1,580,000
Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg $6,320,000
Ridgeland, SC Jasper 01 $1,580,000
St. George, SC Dorchester 04 $3,160,000
Sumter, SC Sumter 01 $4,740,000
Varnville, SC Hampton $3,160,000
Winnsboro, SC Fairfield 01 $3,160,000
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan will join schoolchildren, district leaders and community members in Seattle, Washington, later today to make the announcement and highlight how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health. The investment will also drive demand for American-made batteries and vehicles, boost domestic manufacturing, and create good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is accelerating our nation’s transition to electric and low-emission school buses while ensuring a brighter, healthier future for our children,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to school each day. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in our children’s health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our children deserve.”
“The infrastructure bill is delivering critical resources for the communities I represent, which has always been my top priority,” said Congressman Clyburn. “This initial investment of $58 million for South Carolina, including $25.28 million for the Sixth District, will have a lasting impact on rural communities by providing students with reliable and climate-friendly transportation. South Carolina received the third greatest allocation of all the states in this round of awards, and there will be additional funding to come over the next four years of this program to assist even more communities across the state.”
“Children’s health is a top priority for EPA and this historic funding is an innovative way to reduce the serious health impacts of diesel emissions as children ride to and from school,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “The BIL Clean School Bus Program will improve air quality and human health not only for our children, but for the communities where they live and play.”
Today’s announcement includes funding for buses and infrastructure for districts in cities like:
Abbeville, SC Abbeville 60 $3,160,000
Anderson, SC Anderson 05 $4,740,000
Barnwell, SC Barnwell 45 $1,975,000
Chester, SC Chester 01 $3,160,000
Clinton, SC Lauren 56 $2,765,000
Columbia, SC Richland 01 $6,320,000
Georgetown, SC Georgetown 01 $6,320,000
Iva, SC Anderson 03 $1,580,000
Marion, SC Marion 10 $4,740,000
McCormick, SC McCormick 01 $1,580,000
Orangeburg, SC Orangeburg $6,320,000
Ridgeland, SC Jasper 01 $1,580,000
St. George, SC Dorchester 04 $3,160,000
Sumter, SC Sumter 01 $4,740,000
Varnville, SC Hampton $3,160,000
Winnsboro, SC Fairfield 01 $3,160,000
In May, EPA announced the availability of $500 million for its Clean School Bus Program. Given overwhelming demand from school districts across the country, including in low-income communities, Tribal nations, and territories, EPA nearly doubled the amount of funding that will be awarded to $965 million. The rebate application period closed in August with an outstanding response from school districts seeking to purchase electric and low-emission school buses across the country.
At this time, the agency has selected 389 applications totaling $913 million to support the purchase of 2,463 buses, 95% of which will be electric. EPA will distribute awards to school districts in all 50 states, Washington D.C., along with several federally recognized Tribes and U.S. territories. School districts identified as priority areas serving low-income, rural, and, or Tribal students make up 99% of the projects that were selected. More applications are under review, and the agency plans to select more to reach the full $965 million in the coming weeks.
Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees will need to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders demonstrating they have ordered new buses and eligible infrastructure. EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Transportation to provide school districts with robust technical assistance to ensure effective implementation.
These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.
About the Clean School Bus Rebate Program
The Clean School Bus Program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money for school districts and produce cleaner air. Diesel air pollution is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and cause them to miss school, particularly in communities of color and Tribal communities. Phasing out these diesel engines will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, and school staff working near the bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis. The program will also save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing older, heavily polluting buses with brand new clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools.
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates prioritize low-income, rural, and Tribal communities. The vast majority of applicants met the priority definition under the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and electric vehicle infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
View the full list of Clean School Bus award recipients here.
EPA Awards Nearly $2M in Research and Issues Action Plan to Help Small Communities Protect Public Health and Increase Access to Clean Water
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Action Plan and announced nearly $2 million in research grant funding to accelerate innovative and alternative wastewater treatment technologies in lagoon and pond systems serving small communities. Through research grants and the first ever Action Plan, EPA is providing equitable, accessible, and coordinated technical and financial programs, resources, and assistance that will help improve public health and clean waterway protections for rural, small, and Tribal communities that rely on lagoon wastewater treatment systems.
“Many small and rural communities in the United States rely on a wastewater treatment process that falls short of environmental and public health protection,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “The Lagoon Action Plan will help communities with lagoon systems ensure their local water quality isn’t impacted by improper wastewater management.”
“Lagoon wastewater systems are essential to many small, rural, and Tribal communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “EPA is funding this research to help improve water quality and better serve these communities.”
Lagoon wastewater treatment systems are a common form of decentralized wastewater treatment that uses earthen ponds to break down wastewater using natural biological processes. These systems are particularly attractive to small or rural communities because of their low operating cost, built-in solids storage, and low minimal operating requirements.
The Lagoon Action Plan outlines critical actions that EPA will implement through 2026 to assist rural, small, and Tribal communities with lagoon wastewater treatment systems. The plan will identify how many lagoon wastewater treatment systems are in the United States; provide financial and technical assistance tools – including tools to help underserved communities access Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding; develop cost and performance data for technologies, regulatory support tools, and plans for community engagement, communication, and partnerships.
EPA is awarding $2 million to research and provide information that can help small communities deploy demonstrated innovative water technologies for lagoon systems, which will help achieve better nutrient management in a cost-effective manner. The following universities will be receiving an award:
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., to deploy and test a floating treatment wetland system in a lagoon in a small community in northern Michigan.
West Virginia University, Morgantown W.Va., to evaluate current and potential technology options to remove nutrients from lagoons systems and use this information to develop a decision-support tool that can be used to determine cost-effective technologies that can improve nutrient removal in lagoon systems in small communities.
Learn more about the funded recipients.
Learn more about EPA research grants.
Background
Small lagoon communities typically serve fewer than 3,000 people and frequently lack the necessary financial and technical resources to comply with the Clean Water Act (CWA). Many of these communities utilized lagoon wastewater systems as the only way to treat their community wastewater. Over 4,500 of these facilities are discharging lagoon wastewater systems that do not rely on more advanced supplemental technology; this is about one-quarter of the nation’s Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) program.
EPA has a 30+ year history of helping communities invest in water infrastructure projects, like lagoon systems. Since 1988, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) has provided over $153 billion in low-cost assistance to borrowers across the country – with small communities receiving almost $35 billion. And thanks to additional funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), over $3 billion is available through the CWSRF in FY 2022, of which a significant portion will be made available as grants or forgivable loans and below market rate loans, down to 0% interest. Through the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative, EPA and USDA-RD are leveraging technical assistance to help historically underserved communities access these funding sources to address their wastewater needs.
“Many small and rural communities in the United States rely on a wastewater treatment process that falls short of environmental and public health protection,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “The Lagoon Action Plan will help communities with lagoon systems ensure their local water quality isn’t impacted by improper wastewater management.”
“Lagoon wastewater systems are essential to many small, rural, and Tribal communities,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “EPA is funding this research to help improve water quality and better serve these communities.”
Lagoon wastewater treatment systems are a common form of decentralized wastewater treatment that uses earthen ponds to break down wastewater using natural biological processes. These systems are particularly attractive to small or rural communities because of their low operating cost, built-in solids storage, and low minimal operating requirements.
The Lagoon Action Plan outlines critical actions that EPA will implement through 2026 to assist rural, small, and Tribal communities with lagoon wastewater treatment systems. The plan will identify how many lagoon wastewater treatment systems are in the United States; provide financial and technical assistance tools – including tools to help underserved communities access Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding; develop cost and performance data for technologies, regulatory support tools, and plans for community engagement, communication, and partnerships.
EPA is awarding $2 million to research and provide information that can help small communities deploy demonstrated innovative water technologies for lagoon systems, which will help achieve better nutrient management in a cost-effective manner. The following universities will be receiving an award:
Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., to deploy and test a floating treatment wetland system in a lagoon in a small community in northern Michigan.
West Virginia University, Morgantown W.Va., to evaluate current and potential technology options to remove nutrients from lagoons systems and use this information to develop a decision-support tool that can be used to determine cost-effective technologies that can improve nutrient removal in lagoon systems in small communities.
Learn more about the funded recipients.
Learn more about EPA research grants.
Background
Small lagoon communities typically serve fewer than 3,000 people and frequently lack the necessary financial and technical resources to comply with the Clean Water Act (CWA). Many of these communities utilized lagoon wastewater systems as the only way to treat their community wastewater. Over 4,500 of these facilities are discharging lagoon wastewater systems that do not rely on more advanced supplemental technology; this is about one-quarter of the nation’s Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) program.
EPA has a 30+ year history of helping communities invest in water infrastructure projects, like lagoon systems. Since 1988, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) has provided over $153 billion in low-cost assistance to borrowers across the country – with small communities receiving almost $35 billion. And thanks to additional funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), over $3 billion is available through the CWSRF in FY 2022, of which a significant portion will be made available as grants or forgivable loans and below market rate loans, down to 0% interest. Through the Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative, EPA and USDA-RD are leveraging technical assistance to help historically underserved communities access these funding sources to address their wastewater needs.
Trade News Snapshot – Volume 4, Issue 5
EAC's Message
Never a dull moment in the Office of Trade! Lately, the keywords for us have been outreach, outreach, outreach. Commissioner Chris Magnus recently hosted the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization while Deputy…
Never a dull moment in the Office of Trade! Lately, the keywords for us have been outreach, outreach, outreach. Commissioner Chris Magnus recently hosted the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization while Deputy…
USDA Invests $14.2 Million in 52 Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Efforts
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $14.2 million in 52 grants that support urban agriculture and innovative production. This investment, which includes American Rescue Plan Act funds, will allow grant recipients to expand access to nutritious foods, foster community engagement, increase awareness of climate change and mitigate the effects within urban areas, provide jobs, educate communities about farming, and expand green spaces.
Deputy Secretary Bronaugh To Lead East Africa Agribusiness Trade Mission
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2022 – Representatives from 32 agribusiness and farm organizations will join Deputy Agriculture Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh for an agribusiness trade mission to Nairobi, Kenya, and Zanzibar, Tanzania, Oct. 31 - Nov. 4.