From the JB Pritzker Administration:
Gov. Pritzker Announces Funding for 46 New All-Electric School Buses
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) to announced seven grant awards totaling more than $13 million for 46 new all-electric school buses.
The funding will allow school districts and student transportation companies to retire older diesel-powered buses and provide e the necessary charging infrastructure for the new electric buses, helping improve air quality to students and the surrounding communities.
“Electric school buses are major win for our children, our schools, and our communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m proud that the investment from the State of Illinois is helping put these vehicles on the road, get our kids an education, and keep our air clean.”
The grants are funded by Illinois’ allocation of the multi-billion-dollar Volkswagen (VW) Settlement and will be distributed by Illinois EPA’s Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program.
The grant program was developed to distribute funding for various types of mobile source electrification projects.
Illinois EPA has spent nearly $108 million in VW Settlement funds to date, funding
- 122 electric school buses and
- 65 direct current fast charging sites in the Chicago and the Metro-East, and seven other VW priority counties including Champaign, DeKalb, LaSalle, McLean, Peoria, Sangamon, and Winnebago counties.
- The program has also funded 60 electric transit buses in the Chicago area.
Illinois EPA is currently reviewing applications for the latest VW funding opportunity for truck electrification.
[McHenry County] Driving a Cleaner Illinois Program Recipients:
