Students in three Maricopa County school districts may soon be able to breathe easier when boarding school buses.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced plans to purchase 27 new electric school buses for three Arizona school districts as part of a national effort to improve air quality, combat climate change and reduce transportation costs. announced an investment of nearly $8 million.
According to the announcement, Laveen Elementary School District, Gila Crossing Community School of the Gila River Indian Community, and Tempe Elementary School District were among the 70 schools selected for the grant, which will support the purchase of more than 2,400 zero-emission vehicles nationwide. did.
The new buses are funded by EPA’s Clean Heavy Vehicle Grant Program established by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Funds from the program will be used to replace heavy vehicles with internal combustion engines with new zero-emission models. Along with the charger.
More than $400 million of the program’s funding will go to communities designated as nonattainment areas of the National Air Quality Standards, including Maricopa County.
“Pollution from heavy vehicles contributes to hazardous air quality across the country, including here in Arizona,” EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Director Martha Guzman said in a news release. “This funding will advance our campaign to reduce air pollution, improve neighborhood health and tackle climate change by replacing dirty heavy-duty vehicles with clean, zero-emission models.”
The three school districts will join other districts in the state that have transitioned to vehicle electrification with the help of federal funds. EPA plans to work with the district to complete funding by early 2025.
“The idea of electric school buses is to reduce emissions and reduce respiratory illnesses for children,” said Jim Mosley, superintendent of Gila Crossing Community Schools. “Anything we can do to make our students healthier is always a good step to take, and I think this is a good direction to start.”
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Air quality in Maricopa County is low due to high ozone levels
According to the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air Report, metro Phoenix ranked fifth worst for ozone pollution.
Ground-level ozone is the main component of smog. Ingesting large amounts can cause breathing difficulties and worsen respiratory diseases such as asthma. The primary cause of high ozone levels in the Valley is tailpipe emissions.
Children are at the highest risk of ozone exposure because they are more likely to be active outdoors when ozone levels are high and their respiratory systems are still developing. They are also more likely to develop asthma than adults.
“We note that the transportation sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases and air pollution in the United States, and older heavy-duty vehicles in particular emit harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. ” EPA officials said in a statement. . “Children, the elderly, people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, and people of low socio-economic status are especially vulnerable.”
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Electric buses as environmental justice
The Clean Heavy Vehicle Grant Program is part of the Biden administration’s Justice 40 initiative, which requires at least 40% of certain federal investments to benefit disadvantaged communities. This includes tribal communities, low-income communities, and communities of color, which are disproportionately affected by air pollution.
Last year, the Arizona Coalition for Change, a grassroots organization serving communities of color, launched the Clean Energy Clear Lung Campaign. The campaign’s mission is to educate the public, promote clean energy solutions, and advocate for state-level policies that reduce air pollution.
“Large trucks drive up and down the highways every day, and the exhaust fumes and particulates emitted directly from the highways have a direct impact on children,” said Reginald, a former state representative who founded the group.・Mr. Boulding said. “If you look at some of the most diverse and lowest-income communities, you’ll see that a lot of transportation releases energy directly into the community.”
Boulding, who has a doctorate in education, praised the district for securing funding for buses and other initiatives such as increasing shade and implementing state-level clean energy policies to continue improving air quality. pointed out the solution.
“Whether we’re talking about reservations, low-income communities, or urban areas, we face the same problem of air pollutants impacting the lung health of our communities,” Bolding said.
John Leos covers environmental issues for the Arizona Republic and AzCentral. Send your tips or questions to john.leos@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental reporting on azcentral.com and The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
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