Lung Association Commends Governor and Legislature for Electrifying New York’s School Buses

The American Lung Association applauds Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate and Assembly for including in this year’s budget, nation-leading legislation that will make all new school bus purchases be zero-emission starting in 2027 and require that all school buses statewide be 100% zero-emission by 2035 as part of this year’s budget. Committing $500 million in the Environmental Bond Act for electric school buses and electric charging infrastructure will ensure that school districts, especially those in disadvantaged communities that bear a disproportionate burden of the negative health effects from transportation pollution, will be at the front of the line to put electric school buses on the road.

“The transportation sector and dirty, diesel school buses are a leading contributor to air pollution and climate change,” said Trevor Summerfield, director of advocacy at the American Lung Association in New York. “Thankfully, New York is taking a major leap forward to make the benefits of electric school buses a reality, especially in communities most impacted by harmful pollution today. By acting, our state leaders have taken a significant step forward to implement equitable policies and invest in the transition to healthy air for all New Yorkers.”

A recently released report by the Lung Association, “Zeroing in on Healthy Air”, outlines the broad health and climate benefits of the transition to a zero-emission transportation sector over the coming decades and the transition from dirty, diesel fueled buses, is a key component. Here in New York the transition would generate $68.2 billion in public health benefits and result in up to 6,200 avoided deaths and 159,000 avoided asthma attacks.