Three local school districts have been awarded $395,000 each in federal grant dollars through the Clean School Bus Program to incorporate electric school buses into their fleets. The Audubon Community School District, Coon Rapids-Bayard Community School District, and IKM-Manning Community School District are among the fifteen Iowa school districts selected for participation, and the area districts will each use the money to purchase one electric bus and the necessary infrastructure to operate it. The program, established by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to replace existing school buses with clean, zero-emissions models that are more cost-effective. State Auditor Rob Sand congratulated the schools on the combined $1,185,000 award. Sand says, “The Clean School Bus Program saves Iowa school districts millions of dollars. It also demonstrates that bipartisan efforts can lead to tangible solutions that benefit our children and communities.” Auditor Sand encouraged other Iowa school districts to apply for the second round of funding, which will provide approximately $400 million in competitive grants for clean, zero-emissions school buses. Interested school district officials can obtain more information about the program by emailing questions to cleanschoolbus@epa.gov. The application deadline for the second round of funding is Tuesday, August 22. More information on the grant program is included below.
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