Illinois schools get $48 million boost for clean buses from EPA program (2024)

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) have announced that 28 school districts in Illinois will be awarded substantial rebates totaling over $48 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebate competition.

The program, a $5 billion effort established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to convert the nation’s school bus fleets to low- or zero-emission vehicles, like electric buses, while improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and accelerating the country’s transition to zero-emissions transportation.

“No child should have to breathe diesel fumes on their way to school. These School Bus Grants represent a commitment to a healthier, greener future for our children,” said Durbin.

“Transitioning to clean school buses puts Illinois on the path to healthier environments and it opens up new avenues for economic growth and job creation in our state,” said Duckworth.

The following school districts will receive rebates from the Clean School Bus Program:

• Washington School District 52: $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• A-C Central Community Unit School District 262: $420,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Illini Bluffs Community Unit School District 327: $600,000 in rebate funding to purchase 3 clean school buses.
• McLean County Unity School District 5: $1,060,000 in rebate funding to purchase 5 clean school buses.
• Tremont Community Unit School District 702: $565,000 in rebate funding to purchase 3 clean school buses.
• Aurora West Unified School District 129: $5,000,000 in rebate funding to purchase 25 clean school buses.
• Naperville Community Unit School District 203: $1,000,000 in rebate funding to purchase 5 clean school buses.
• Springfield School District 186: $7,935,000 in rebate funding to purchase 23 clean school buses.
• Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157: $1,725,000 in rebate funding to purchase 5 clean school buses.
• Harlem Unified School District 122: $800,000 in rebate funding to purchase 4 clean school buses.
• Hoopeston Area Community Unit School District 11: $690,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Bureau Valley Community Unified School District 340: $1,725,000 in rebate funding to purchase 5 clean school buses.
• Township High School District 113: $565,000 in rebate funding to purchase 3 clean school buses.
• Wethersfield Community Unit School District 230: $620,000 in rebate funding to purchase 3 clean school buses.
• Zion-Benton Township High School District 126: $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Lansing School District 158: $2,760,000 in rebate funding to purchase 8 clean school buses.
• Grayville Community Unit School District 1: $690,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Vienna High School District 133: $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Urbana School District 116: $3,060,000 in rebate funding to purchase 15 clean school buses.
• Manteno Community Unit School District 5: $200,000 in rebate funding to purchase 1 clean school bus.
• River Trails School District 26: $2,020,200 in rebate funding to purchase 10 clean school buses.
• United Township High School District 30: $840,000 in rebate funding to purchase 4 clean school buses.
• Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15: $5,000,000 in rebate funding to purchase 25 clean school buses.
• Peoria School District 150: $4,830,000 in rebate funding to purchase 14 clean school buses.
• Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7: $400,000 in rebate funding to purchase 2 clean school buses.
• Eldorado Community Unit School District 4: $1,035,000 in rebate funding to purchase 3 clean school buses.
• Du Quoin Community Unified School District 300: $2,620,000 in rebate funding to purchase 8 clean school buses.
• Forest Park School District 91: $1,040,000 in rebate funding to purchase 5 clean school buses.

In 2022, Durbin and Duckworth sent a letter to more than 300 Illinois School District administrators to inform them that their districts were eligible to participate in the CSBP. Durbin and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) led members of the Illinois Delegation in sending a letter to EPA urging it to expand eligibility guidelines for the CSBP to improve accessibility for Chicago-area schools.