Vice President Touts Electric School Bus Investments In Seattle

SEATTLE — Vice President Kamala Harris in Seattle on Wednesday unveiled nearly $1 billion in grants to help purchase 2,500 mostly electric school buses in districts across the nation. Harris joined Sen. Patty Murray, Environmental Protection Administration administrator Michael Regan and Gov. Jay Inslee to deliver remarks Wednesday at Seattle's Lumen Field.

The grants are the first in $5 billion scheduled over the next five years for the EPA's Clean School Bus Program and will support purchases in districts in all U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia, and in Tribal districts. According to the White House, the first round of awards will cover 2,463 buses, with 95 percent fully electric.

According to federal estimates, roughly 25 million children rely on school buses, and only 1 percent of the nation's 480,000 school buses were electric last year. The funding for cleaner school buses is part of the Biden administration's broader plans to reduce emissions and address climate change in the infrastructure bill.

"We are witnessing around the county and around the world the effects of extreme climate Harris said Wednesday. "What we're announcing today is a step forward in our nation's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases, to invest in our economy ... to invest in building the skills of America's workforce. All with the goal of not only saving our children, but for them, saving our planet."

According to the Associated Press, the EPA has received close to 2,000 applications to fund nearly 12,000 buses. The first round of funding covers 389 applications, largely in low-income, rural and Tribal communities, worth approximately $913 million. More grants are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Washington districts included in the first round of grants include Easton, Pomeroy, South Whidbey and Toppenish.

The vice president arrived in Seattle Tuesday evening for the first time since taking office, and her visit impacted traffic in the Seattle area throughout Wednesday, including the trip to Lumen Field, followed by a private fundraising event.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.