Lung Association Applauds EPA Grant of Nearly $10 Million For Electric School Buses in Clark County

Earlier today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus program, funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, announced $965 million to purchase clean, zero-emission school buses. 95% of funds awarded will go towards transitioning to electric buses. Clark County School District will receive $9.875 million to adopt 25 zero-emission models with charging stations over the next five years. 

In response to this announcement, Melissa Ramos, Senior Manager of Clean Air Advocacy for the American Lung Association in Nevada, shared:

“Exposure to diesel exhaust is a serious health hazard for the 40,000 children living with asthma in Clark County. Dirty bus pollution endangers children’s respiratory and brain development and has been linked to cancer and premature death. These health impacts are felt most heavily on Black and Brown communities who are more likely to live in communities with poor air quality, and also have higher rates of asthma than white children in higher income neighborhoods.”

The American Lung Association’s “Delivering Clean Air: Health Benefits of Zero-Emission Trucks and Electricity” report shows that medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (including diesel buses) make up the largest share of on-road emissions. Transitioning to zero-emission trucks and buses in Nevada would generate $5.2 billion in public health benefits and 10,569 avoided asthma attacks in communities with heavy truck traffic.

“Our kids deserve to get to and from school safely without breathing in harmful toxins from diesel exhaust,” said Ramos. “This significant investment in electric school buses for Clark County will clean up the air our students and communities breathe and help get us on track to meet our state climate goals.”

Learn more about the “Delivering Clean Air” report and sign the petition at Lung.org/EV.