Second Report to Congress
Fiscal Year 2022
EPA CLEAN SCHOOL
BUS PROGRAM
United States
Environmental Protection
t Agency
EPA-420-R-23-002
February 2023
IRITUREKISI
lECTRji
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EPA Clean School Bus Program
Second Report to Congress
Fiscal Year 2022
Credit: tF'A; John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C., October 2022
EPA Clean School Bus Report to Congress
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Acronyms and Abbreviations
ARP
American Rescue Plan
BABAA
Build America, Buy America Act
CNG
compressed natural gas
CSB
Clean School Bus
DERA
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act
DOE
Department of Energy
DOT
Department ofTransportation
ED
Department of Education
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EV
electric vehicle
GHG
greenhouse gas
IDA
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
NOx
nitrogen oxides
NREL
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
PM
particulate matter
SAIPE
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
V2G
vehicle-to-grid
ZE
zero-emission
Photo Credits
Top two cover images:
Credit: EPA; Meridian High School, Falls Church, VA, May 2022
Bottom two cover images:
Credit: EPA; John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C., October 2022
Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this report are by Eric Vance, U.S. EPA.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 5
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 6
Eligibility 7
Other Considerations 8
Clean School Bus Rebates Overview 9
Prioritizing Underserved Communities 10
2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Selection Process and Awards 12
Rebate Applications 12
Rebate Selection Process 12
Rebate Selectees 16
Stakeholder Engagement 22
Before the Launch of the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates 22
During the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Application Window 24
Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Education and Outreach 24
Looking Ahead 26
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Executive Summary
School buses in the United States travel more than 4 billion miles each year, providing the safest transportation
to and from school for more than 25 million American children every day.1 While new buses meet the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) tighter emission standards, most school buses on the road emit
pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), in diesel exhaust. These pollutants can
contribute to poor air quality and negatively impact human health, especially for children, who have a faster
breathing rate than adults and whose lungs are not yet fully developed.2 Bus drivers and other school staff are
also exposed to diesel exhaust inside and near older school buses.
EPA's Clean School Bus (CSB) Program funds the replacement of school buses emitting higher levels of
pollutants with buses that emit zero or much lower levels of pollutants (i.e., zero-emission [ZE] or clean
school buses). These replacement buses will ensure cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working
near bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day. The reduction in
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from these bus replacements will also help address the outsized role of the
transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis.3 ZE or clean school buses can also cost less to maintain or
fuel than the older buses they are replacing, which can free up needed resources for schools.4
In its first year, the CSB Program conducted extensive program outreach and administered a national rebate
competition. In August 2022, the rebate competition received an outstanding response from school districts
across the country, with nearly 2,000 applicants seeking to upgrade their school bus fleets with clean school
buses. The enthusiastic response prompted EPA to almost double the funding level available for rebates
to nearly $1 billion. In October 2022, EPA announced rebate selections. More than 400 applications were
selected to replace about 2,600 buses, 95% of which will be electric.5
1 EPA. 2021. Clean School Bus Program: Building a Better America with the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/
ZvPDFcai?Dockev=P 1013NR1.pdf
2 Ibid.
3 EPA. n.d. "Fast Facts on Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions." https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-
greenhouse-gas-emissions
4 EPA. n.d. "Benefits of Clean School Buses." https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/benefits-clean-school-buses
5 EPA also awarded funding for 109 propane buses and 6 compressed natural gas buses.
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Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, into law on November 15, 2021. UnderTitle XI: Clean School Buses and Ferries, the IIJA
provides $5 billion over five years (FY 2022-2026) for the replacement of existing school buses with clean
school buses and ZE school buses.The IIJA authorizes EPA to administer rebates, grants, and contracts to
replace a substantial portion of the nation's fleet of nearly 500,000 school buses with clean and ZE models to
reduce harmful emissions from older, dirtier buses.
This historic investment in school buses will transform fleets across the United States, especially in
communities that have been historically underserved. "As many as 25 million children rely on the bus to get to
school each day.Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are making an unprecedented investment in
our children's health, especially those in communities overburdened by air pollution. This is just the beginning
of our work to build a healthier future, reduce climate pollution, and ensure the clean, breathable air that all our
children deserve," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan at the CSB rebate selectees press event in Seattle,
Washington, on October 26, 2022.6 The CSB Program also supports domestic manufacturing and American
jobs. School bus manufacturers have facilities across the country that produce ZE and clean school buses.
Under the statutory design for this program, half of the CSB Program's available funding of $5 billion is
dedicated for ZE school buses and half is for clean school buses. A ZE school bus produces zero exhaust
emissions of air pollutants and GHGs, and a clean school bus reduces emissions by operating entirely or in
part using an alternative fuel, such as propane or natural gas, or is a ZE bus. EPA may make awards up to
100% of the cost of the replacement bus and charging or fueling infrastructure, and EPA may award funding
for bus replacement and infrastructure through grants, rebates, or contracts.
EPA Experience Funding School Bus Projects
6 EPA. 2022. "Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $3 Million from EPA's Clean School Bus Program forTwo New Hampshire School
Districts." https://epa.aov/newsreleas6s/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearlv-3-million-epas-clean-school-bus-proaram
1 EPA. 2022. Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Fifth Report to Congress (page 9). https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZvPDE
cai?Dockev= PI 015S8Q.pdf
Separate from the DERA School Bus Rebate Program, the 2021 American Rescue Plan (ARP)
Electric School Bus Rebate Program offered $7 million to underserved school districts, Tribal
schools, and private fleets serving those schools for the replacement of 23 old school buses
with new electric school buses. Learn more about the DERA School Bus Rebate Program.
EPA has managed the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program since funding began
in 2008. Although DERA funds projects in diverse sectors, over 40% of the vehicles and
equipment upgraded through DERA have been school buses.2 In addition to funding the
replacement and retrofit of older, higher-emitting diesel school buses through the National and
State DERA grant programs, EPA had a dedicated School Bus Rebate Program. From 2012 to
2021, the DERA School Bus Rebate Program awarded funds to replace more than 3,100 school
buses with cleaner models. Compared to older diesel buses, these new buses offered the
potential to reduce emissions of pollutants like NOx and PM by over 90% and achieve GFIG
reductions as well.
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Eligibility
For the purposes of the CSB rebate competition, eligible applicants are defined as:
¦ State or local governmental entities that are responsible for:
• Providing school bus service to one or more public school systems; or
• The purchase of school buses.
¦ Eligible contractors, which may be for-profit, not-for-profit, or nonprofit entities that have the capacity to:
• Sell clean school buses, ZE buses, charging or fueling infrastructure, or other equipment needed to
charge, fuel, or maintain clean or ZE school buses; or
• Arrange financing for such a sale.
¦ Nonprofit school transportation associations.
¦ Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, orTribally controlled schools responsible for:
• Providing school bus service to one or more schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; or
• The purchase of school buses.
Private school bus fleets cannot apply directly for funding. However, eligible applicants can enter into a
contractual arrangement with a private fleet that owns and operates buses to replace buses that serve a public
school district.
The IIJA allows EPA to prioritize applicants that:
¦ Propose to replace buses that serve:
• High-need local educational agencies;8
• Tribal schools; or
• Rural or low-income areas.
¦ Complement the assistance received through the award by securing additional sources of funding for the
activities supported through the award.
Cost Share Considerations
The IIJA allows EPA to prioritize applicants that provide cost share through public-private partnerships, grants from other
entities, or school bonds. While EPA did not prioritize such applicants during the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates, the
Agency will consider utilizing this option during future funding rounds.
8 The IIJA defines a "high-need local educational agency" as a local educational agency with high percentages of children counted
under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. See https://www.conaress.gov/117/bills/hr3684/BILLS-
117hr3684enr.pdf for additional details.
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Other Considerations
In making awards for clean or ZE school buses, EPA must consider the following criteria without preference to
any individual criterion:
¦ Lowest overall cost of bus replacement;
¦ Local conditions, including the length of bus routes and weather conditions;
¦ Technologies that most reduce emissions; and
¦ Whether funds will bring new technologies to scale or promote cost parity between old technology and
new technology, particularly for production in the United States.
After considering stakeholder suggestions, EPA identified the following goals for the CSB Program, which will
guide the program throughout all five years of available funding:
¦ Engage stakeholders in program development.
¦ Evolve the program, as needed, based on successes and lessons learned.
¦ Promote cost parity between bus technologies.
¦ Allow school districts multiple opportunities to apply for funding.
¦ Maximize the number of ZE and clean buses that receive funding.
¦ Ensure a broad geographic distribution of awards.
Benefits of Clean School Buses
Electric school buses have zero tailpipe emissions, meaning that students, drivers, and members of the community are
exposed to significantly lower concentrations of harmful diesel pollutants like PM and NOx. This can significantly improve
public health, especially for children, whose lungs are still developing. Replacing diesel buses with electric buses also
reduces GHG emissions, maintenance costs, and fuel costs. When they are not being used to transport students, electric
school buses can also be used as sources of power via their battery storage. Experts are exploring advancements in
bidirectional charging technologies, also known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, that can store surplus energy and
then return it to the grid during peak times of use. This will become an important function as more renewable energy
sources are added to the grid.
Other types of alternatively fueled (e.g., propane, natural gas) school buses can also reduce tailpipe pollution, GHG
emissions, and fuel costs, depending on the alternative fuel that is used.
Visit EPA's website for more information about the benefits of electric and alternative fuel school buses as well as
bidirectional charging technologies.
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Clean School Bus Rebates Overview
The first CSB funding program EPA offered was the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. EPA developed a new
online system to facilitate a straightforward and accessible application process. The Clean School Bus Rebates
online application system proved to be highly effective and will be utilized for future funding rounds.
In May 2022, EPA announced $500 million in available funding for the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. By
the time the application window closed in August, EPA had received about 2,000 applications requesting
approximately $4 billion to replace more than 12,000 buses. Given the tremendous response, and as
previewed in the program guidance, EPA decided to provide up to $965 million through the 2022 CSB Rebates.
In October, EPA announced that it was funding over 400 rebate applications to replace about 2,600 buses,
95% of which will be electric.
Applicants could request funds to replace up to 25 buses. The maximum rebate amount per bus was
dependent on (1) the replacement bus fuel type, (2) the replacement bus size, and (3) whether the school
district served by the buses was prioritized. Table 1 below shows the maximum funding amount for buses.
Table 1. Maximum Funding Amount per Replacement Bus
School District
Replacement Bus Fuel Type and Size
Prioritization Status
ZE-
Class 7+
ZE-
Class
3-6
CNG -
Class 7+
CNG -
Class
3-6
Propane
- Class
7+
Propane
- Class
3-6
School districts that meet one or
more prioritization criteria
$375,000
$285,000
$45,000
$30,000
$30,000
$25,000
Other eligible school districts
$250,000
$190,000
$30,000
$20,000
$20,000
$15,000
Additionally, selected applicants that applied for replacement ZE school buses were allocated funding for
charging infrastructure installations on the fleet's side of the electrical meter. SeeTable 2 and Figure 1.
Recipients were encouraged to consider long-term fleet electrical needs when installing equipment, as
installing additional electrical capacity on the fleet's side of the meter to support future charging needs
is an eligible expense. EPA is continuing to work with federal partners in the Joint Office for Energy and
Transportation to develop fact sheets, webinars, and other resources for selected applicants to use when
planning charging infrastructure installations. For instance, current and future informational resources cover
topics such as working with utility providers, considering bidirectional charging, building infrastructure for
current and future fleet needs.
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Table 2. Maximum Charging Infrastructure Amount per Replacement ZE School Bus
School District Prioritization Status
ZE - Class 3+ Infrastructure Funding
School districts that meet one or more
prioritization criteria
$20,000
Other eligible school districts
$13,000
Figure 1. Eligible Expenses for Charging Infrastructure Installations
Non-Eligible Expense
Eligible Expense
Transformer
Utility Distribution Network
Charging
Infrastructure
Unit
Electric Bus
Prioritizing Underserved Communities
Established in Executive Order 14008, Justice40 is a whole-of-government effort to ensure that 40%
of the overall benefits from federal investments, including climate and clean energy investments, reach
disadvantaged communities.The IIJA allows EPA to prioritize applications that will replace buses serving high-
need local educational agencies. Tribal schools, and rural or low-income areas. This prioritization helps support
Justice40 goals. EPA utilized the U.S. Census Bureau's Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)
School District Estimates for 2020 dataset to determine which local educational agencies qualified as "high-
need local educational agencies" for the program's priority list. Specifically, school districts listed as having
20% or more students living in poverty based on the SAIPE data qualified as "prioritized'.' The SAIPE dataset
was selected because it is the most comprehensive public nationwide data on student poverty and numerous
programs at both the federal and state level use the SAIPE Program to identify "high-need local educational
agencies." Nevertheless, EPA recognizes that some school districts may not be listed in the SAIPE data
(including most charter schools), and therefore allowed these school districts to self-certify as having 20%
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or more students living in poverty pursuant to the federal poverty threshold in order to qualify as "prioritized."
School districts located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands were also prioritized as "high-need school districts."9 Prioritizing districts in these
territories is consistent with both the OmnibusTerritories Act of 2013 and the broader Agency-wide effort to
not require cost shares for the Insular Areas.
EPA increased the number of school districts that qualified as "disadvantaged" based on income relative to the
school districts that qualified in the 2021 ARP Electric School Bus Rebate Program by lowering the qualifying
threshold from 30% of students in poverty to 20% of students in poverty in the SAIPE dataset. The Agency
continues to examine the eligibility criteria as applied under the law and may adjust as appropriate to address
program goals in future funding opportunities.
EPA also focused education and outreach efforts on underserved communities, including partnering with
stakeholders to reach communities that may have never applied for a federal grant or rebate (see the
"Stakeholder Engagement" section for more information).
9 Puerto Rico was not included in this list of prioritized high-need school districts located in territories because it is the only territory with
SAIPE data available and was already prioritized under the 20% threshold.
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2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Selection Process
and Awards
Rebate Applications
As noted above, EPA received tremendous interest in the first round of Clean School Bus Rebates. More than
90% of applications were for ZE electric buses. Nearly 9% of applications were for propane buses and 1 %
were for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. The applicant pool included submissions from all 50 states,
Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and federally recognized
Tribes.
Credit: EPA; Meridian High School, Falls Church, VA, May 2022
Rebate Selection Process
After the application deadline, EPA conducted the first round of eligibility reviews. All applications submitted to
EPA by the deadline were placed in a random number generator lottery process and ranked by assigned lottery
number.10 EPA selected applicants for funding in the following order, working from the top (highest rank) to the
bottom (lowest rank) of the list, until all the available $965 million in funds were allocated from both the CSB
and ZE funding pools.11 No partial awards were granted.
^ Per Section 4 of the FY 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Program Guide. EPA did not accept multiple applications for buses serving the
same district.
11 After all selected applicants were notified of their award, a small number of selectees withdrew from the program. EPA redistributed funds
from selectees who withdrew, awarding the funds to eligible applicants who had initially been placed on the program's waitlist. To complete
this redistribution EPA used the process shown in Figure 2. As of January 2023, $951 million of the total $965 million in rebate awards
has been reserved for selectees during this funding cycle. EPA is continuing to redistribute funds from selectees who withdrew to eligible
waitlisted applicants; any remaining funding will be distributed to the selected applicants during future CSB funding opportunities. See the
Awarded Clean School Bus Program Rebates webpage for the most up-to-date rebate selectee data.
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1. ZE Funding Pool: For each state and territory, EPA selected the single highest-ranked application in the
lottery that met one or more prioritization criteria and was exclusively requesting ZE buses. If a state or
territory did not have a ZE application that met one or more prioritization criteria, then the highest-ranked
ZE application per state or territory that did not meet one or more prioritization criteria was selected.
Location was based on the school district the buses will serve, which may differ from the location of the
eligible applicant.
2. CSB Funding Pool: If no application was selected from a state or territory in step one, then EPA selected
the single highest-ranked application in the lottery from that state or territory that met one or more of
the prioritizations and requested clean school buses. If a state or territory did not have any applications
that requested clean school buses and met one or more prioritization criteria, then the highest-ranked
application per state or territory that did not meet one or more prioritization criteria was selected. Location
was based on the school district the buses will serve, which may differ from the location of the eligible
applicant.
3. CSB Funding Pool: Remaining applications that requested ZE, CNG, or propane buses, or any combination
thereof, and that met one or more prioritizations.
4. CSB Funding Pool: Remaining applications until CSB funding pool was allocated.
5. ZE Funding Pool: Remaining applications that exclusively requested ZE buses and that met one or more
prioritizations.
6. ZE Funding Pool: Remaining applications that exclusively requested ZE buses, until funding pool was
allocated.
Please see the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Program Guide for more detailed information about the
selection process. EPA notified rebate applicants of their selection status in October 2022. Once notified,
selected school districts could proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Selectees
have until April 2023 to submit Payment Request Forms with purchase orders. After the selectees submit the
proper forms, they will receive rebate funds.
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Figure 2. 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Selection Process
Steps 1A to 2B in the selection process ensure CSB Program's geographic requirements are met
Step 1A:
¦ For each state or territory, select the highest-
ranked application that is prioritized AND that
exclusively requests ZE buses. Subtract requested
funds from the ZE Funding Pool.
Step 1B:
¦ If a state or territory does not have a ZE application
that meets one or more prioritizations, then select
the highest-ranked ZE application for that state or
territory that is not prioritized. Subtract requested
funds from the ZE Funding Pool.
|
J
Step 2A:
¦ If no application was selected from a state or
territory in Step 1A or 1 B, then select the single
highest-ranked application for that state or territory
that is prioritized AND that requests clean school
buses. Subtract requested funds from the CSB
Funding Pool.
Step 2B:
¦ If a state or territory does not have any applications
that request clean school buses and that meet one
or more prioritizations, then select the highest-
ranked application for that state or territory that is not
prioritized. Subtract requested funds from the CSB
Funding Pool.
I
Step 3:
¦ Select remaining applications that request clean
school buses AND are prioritized. Subtract requested
funds from the CSB Funding Pool.
¦ If funding runs out or only partial funding can be
awarded to an eligible application, proceed to Step 5.
Step 4:
I If all eligible projects from Step 3 have been funded
and there is still CSB Funding available, then select
remaining applications by rank until the CSB Funding
Pool is completely allocated.
Step 5:
¦ Select remaining applications that exclusively request
ZE buses AND are prioritized. Subtract requested
funds from the ZE Funding Pool.
¦ If funding runs out or only partial funding can be
awarded to an eligible application, end selection
process after Step 5.
Step 6:
¦ If all eligible projects from Step 5 have been funded
and there is still ZE Funding available, then select
remaining applications by rank that exclusively
request ZE buses. Subtract requested funding from
the ZE Funding Pool.
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Program Launch Event
Credit: tPA; Meridian High School, Falls Church, VA, May 2022
To open the 2022 CSB Rebates application window, Vice President Karnala Harris, EPA Administrator Michael Regan,
White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, Representative Don Beyer (VA), and Representative Gerry
Connolly (VA) visited Meridian High School in Falls Church, Virginia, on May 20, 2022 " They announced the CSB
Program's first funding opportunity and highlighted how the program will reduce GHG pollution, provide cleaner air around
schools and communities, and better protect children's health. The event was attended by more than 250 in-person
attendees consisting of Meridian High School students, faculty and parents, environmental and education advocates, and
EPA staff, as well as by virtual attendees through a White House livestream of the event.
® EPA. 2022. "Biden-Harris Administration Makes $500 Million Available for Clean School Buses Through EPA." https://www.epa.gov/
newsreleases/biden-harns-administration-makes-500-million-available-clean-school-buses-through-epa
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Award Announcement Events
Credit: EPA; John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C., October 2022
On October 26, 2022, EPA publicly announced the list of rebate competition selectees. To celebrate the announcement,
Vice President Harris attended a press event at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, where she gave remarks on the
success of the program and the impact it will have. She was joined by Administrator Regan and Senator Patty Murray
(WA) and met with local students who received an electric bus through the program.
In the days that followed, EPA regions throughout the country coordinated amplification events with local school districts,
elected officials, and other key stakeholders.
Rebate Selectees
For the 2022 CSB Rebates, EPA increased the award pool to $965 million.13 As a result, 415 school districts
are receiving a total of about 2,600 clean school buses (Table 3). Included among the selectees were school
districts from each of the 50 states (Figure 3), along with districts from Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and federally recognized Tribes. As shown in Figure 4, half of the
selected school districts requested between 1 and 3 electric buses, while 29 districts were awarded 25 buses
each, the maximum number a district could request. About 40% of the total rebate funds will be awarded to
projects replacing ten or fewer buses, while nearly 35% of funds will go to projects replacing a larger number
® As previously noted, not all funds in the award pool may be distributed during this funding cycle due to a small number of selectees
withdrawing from the program. Any remaining funds will be distributed to selected applicants during future CSB funding opportunities. See
the Awarded Clean School Bus Program Rebates webpage for the most up-to-date rebate selectee data.
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of buses (Figure 5). bPA credits the considerable number of applications received to the significant outreach
conducted by stakeholder organizations and program staff in each of the Agency's 10 regions.
Table 3. Summary of Awards for the CSB FY 2022 Rebate Program
School District
Number of
Bus Information
Awarded
Type
Selectees
CNG
Propane
Electric
Total
Buses
Funding
Prioritized
412
11
146
2421
2578
$944,715,000
Non-prioritized
3
5
1
25
31
$6,325,000
Totals
415*
16
147
2446
2609
$951,040,000
^Numbers reflect selectees as of January 6, 2023.
Credit: EPA; John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C., October 2022
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Figure 3. Total Number of Clean School Buses Awarded During the FY 2022 Rebate Program, by State
Number of
Buses Awarded
0 94.5 189
Alaska
1
American Samoa
U.S. Virgin Islands
Guam
25
10
Hawaii
~
26
Puerto Rico
*
25
W~
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Number of Electric Buses Awarded
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Figure 5. Distribution of the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Program Awards
50
42%
Small (1-10 buses) Medium (11-20 buses) Large (21-25 buses)
Number of Electric Buses Awarded per District
The 2022 CSB Rebates prioritized low-income, rural, and Tribal school districts. Over 99% of selectees met
the priority definition under the 2022 CSB Rebates criteria, resulting in access to more funds for buses and
electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure for schools in areas that need them the most. The program also delivered
on President Biden's Justice40 commitment. Table 4 summarizes funding to Tribal school districts awarded
through the program.
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Table 4. Summary of Tribal Awards for the CSB FY2022 Rebate Program
Tribal School District
Number of
Bus Information
Awarded
Type
Selectees
CNG
Propane
Electric
Total
Buses
Funding
Bureau-Funded
3
0
0
15
15
$4,845,000
Impact Aid
24
0
25
165
190
$65,295,000
Poverty Rate >20%
1
0
0
4
4
$1,580,000
Totals
28
0
25
184
209
$71,720,000
EPA created a webpaae that uses an interactive dashboard to provide up-to-date information about the
awarded rebates. The dashboard features a map and data display showing the locations of selectees, the
number and dollar figure of new buses funded, and their priority applicant status. All applicants not selected
for funding in the initial lottery process were placed on a waitlist, which is also included on the webpage. If any
2022 CSB Rebate selectees are deemed ineligible, drop out of the program, or otherwise reduce their funding
request, EPA will offer the remaining funds to previously unselected applicants, provided sufficient time
remains in the project period.14
Clean School Bus Program and Build America, Buy America Act
Enacted as part of the IIJA, the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) requires the application of domestic preference
requirements to infrastructure projects funded by federal financial assistance. The BABAA directed EPA to enforce the
requirements of the Act when implementing the CSB Program, meaning that EPA was compelled to include a Buy
America preference in CSB Program awards issued on or after May 14, 2022.
To avoid undue increases in the time and cost of some school bus replacement projects, as well as to allow selectees and
EPA to transition to new rules and processes, EPA solicited public comment on issuing a time-limited waiver applicable to
a narrow portion of CSB Program awards (i.e., certain electric charging infrastructure equipment). After considering input
from public comments, EPA issued a final waiver on July 29, 2022. EPA encouraged charging infrastructure suppliers
to take steps to meet the BABAA requirements. EPA continues to work jointly with the Department of Energy (DOE)
and Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop a common approach to applying Buy America provisions to vehicle
charging and fueling infrastructure.
14 At the time of the announcement of rebate awards, some applications remained under review. As their selection status was updated, those
applicants either were added to the selectee list or withdrew.
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Stakeholder Engagement
To support development and implementation of the CSB Program, EPA utilized a variety of tools to engage
with stakeholders, receive feedback, and transparently share information. These efforts involved staff and
management in headquarters and regional offices.
Before the Launch of the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates
Development of the Clean School Bus Education and Outreach Strategy
The IIJA directs EPA to coordinate with stakeholders and develop an education and outreach plan that explains
to potential grant and rebate applicants how to apply, describes eligible technologies and their benefits, and
shares information on best practices and lessons learned.15
To develop the education and outreach strategy, EPA gathered information, suggestions, and feedback on
program design from stakeholders using a combination of public listening sessions, a Clean School Bus
mailbox, and discussions with the Agency's 10 regions and other program offices, such as the Office of
Environmental Justice, that work closely with the prioritized applicants.
After considering stakeholder input, EPA identified the following outreach goals:
1. Maximize the number of applications and increase program adoption by educating prospective applicants
and stakeholders about the CSB Program and the benefits of clean school buses.
2. Reach underserved populations through meaningful and intentional outreach to increase the number of
prospective applicants who would most benefit from reduced emissions through the replacement of buses
in their communities.
3. Explain the award process and program to prospective applicants in a simple and straightforward manner
that will encourage application completion.
4. Empower, engage, and support clean school bus stakeholders throughout the implementation of this
outreach program by equipping them with the information and data they need to develop their own
outreach plans, amplify key messages, increase applications, and collaborate with the other members of
the clean school bus community beyond EPA.
5. Improve the CSB Program and associated processes year-to-year by collecting stakeholder feedback and
conducting internal "lessons learned" activities.
15 The IIJA also states that EPA may use up to 3% of program funds on administrative costs. EPA obligated a portion of those funds for
contractor support to carry out communications, outreach, and technical assistance work.
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Acheiving Outreach Goals
To achieve the CSB Program outreach goals, EPA utilized several communication channels (e.g., listserv/
newsletter, social media, website) to inform and educate the clean school bus community. EPA's
communication channels included CSB stakeholder networks that helped amplify program messaging,
including webinar dates, the application open and close dates, and other program announcements. These
key stakeholders included other federal agencies, organizations working with priority applicants, associations
related to schools and school buses, and other EPA offices. In addition, EPA hosted a series of public webinars
from December 2021 through October 2022. These listening sessions provided overviews of the program,
as well as opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback and suggestions to aid in the development of
program guidance. Attendees represented a wide swath of stakeholder groups, including Tribes.
Coordination and Outreach with Stakeholders to Inform Applicants and Develop
Program Design
EPA program and regional offices worked collaboratively to reach as many potential applicants as possible,
especially those in underserved communities. EPA established an Agency workgroup to share tools and
resources to support outreach efforts throughout the country, including informational flyers and talking points
with key messages.
In addition, EPA program and regional offices met with external stakeholders to gather suggestions and
feedback on program successes, challenges, and lessons learned. These external stakeholders included
nonprofits, manufacturers, school associations, and other federal agencies. For example, EPA consulted
with the Department of Education (ED) to develop applicant eligibility and prioritization criteria for the rebate
program.
Coordination and Outreach on Technical Assistance
In addition to working with stakeholders to reach potential applicants
and develop the program design, EPA worked with several stakeholders
to provide technical assistance on clean school buses. For example,
EPA partnered with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation ("Joint
Office") and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to
offer clean school bus technical assistance to school districts, including
information and tools to successfully plan for and deploy clean school
buses and associated infrastructure.16 EPA and the Joint Office also
intend to develop resources for CSB Program funding recipients.
In addition, EPA worked with DOE's Clean Cities Coalition Network ("Clean Cities"), which consists of nearly
100 coalitions located across the country that work to advance affordable, domestic transportation fuels,
energy-efficient mobility systems, and other fuel-saving technologies and practices. EPA regional offices
utilized their existing relationships with their local Clean Cities Coalitions to direct rebate applicants' locally
18 The 11JA established a joint office between DOE and DOT to achieve the law's EV goals.
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specific technical questions to the appropriate point of contact. Additionally, Clean Cities hosted a series of
public webinars on a wide variety of topics, including: Introduction to Electric School Buses, Infrastructure
Planning and Solutions, and Driver andTechnicianTraining.17 EPA is also partnering with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Rural Development Office to support the CSB Program's rural applicants and selectees.
During the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Application Window
Clean School Bus Public Webinars to Provide Information to Potential Applicants
During the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates application window, EPA continued to conduct broad stakeholder
outreach. For example, EPA hosted 11 public webinars on different topics (e.g., an overview of the CSB
Program's goals and application process; available infrastructure funding in the rebate program). Webinar
attendance ranged from several hundred to more than 2,000 stakeholders. EPA developed the 2022 Clean
School Bus Rebates: Questions and Answers document to capture key questions from webinar participants
and share the information with other interested stakeholders.
Throughout the rebate application window, EPA staff also presented on the CSB Program at external
conferences and webinars hosted by transportation and environmental nonprofits,Tribal and environmental
justice organizations, education and school groups, and other external stakeholders. EPA received a significant
volume of speaking requests to discuss the program and accepted as many offers as staffing capacity allowed.
The post-2022 CSB Rebates listening session began with an overview of the CSB Program and a summary
of the feedback collected thus far from stakeholders, public comment letters, and emails. It concluded with
an opportunity for the more than 350 attendees to share their additional suggestions and input about ways
to improve the program during future rounds of funding. Some of the common topics discussed included the
program's application process, requirements and application window, eligibility, funding levels, prioritization
criteria, and outreach activities.
Given the success of the CSB listening sessions and EPA's goal to continuously improve the program, EPA will
host future listening, information sharing, and feedback sessions before and after rebate and grant cycles.
Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Education and Outreach
To reflect and improve upon the 2022 rebate applicant experience and application process, EPA hosted a public
listening session titled "EPA Clean School Bus Rebates: Feedback and Next Steps" on August 24, 2022.The
session's attendees represented a diverse pool of professionals, which resulted in a fruitful listening session
where positive and constructive feedback was shared. EPA evaluated all collected feedback to determine how
future rebate funding opportunities could be improved.
17 All webinar recordings were made available to the public on DOE's website. The Joint Office also established a clean school bus email
form, which the public can use to request technical assistance for clean school buses, and co-hosted a public CSB Program webinar on
EV infrastructure.
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After considering stakeholder input on the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Program, CSB Program staff
identified several successful education and outreach activities that could be used as best practices for future
funding rounds:
¦ EPA created an education and outreach strategy to guide efforts and ensure that all intended audiences
were reached. EPA's internal workgroup met weekly to provide detailed guidance and ensure that all
efforts, messaging, and resource materials were consistent with the strategy.
¦ EPA identified a group of key community-based organizations who were focused on implementing
program goals. EPA staff held a series of planning/coordination calls with them to determine how the
Agency could best empower, engage, and support them in their efforts to amplify key messages within
their communities and drive prospective applicants to apply.
¦ EPA staff attended large conferences that many potential applicants (including prioritized applicants)
commonly attended, such as pupil transportation, superintendent, and Tribal conferences, to raise
awareness about the program, answer questions, and collect feedback.
¦ EPA created resource materials that made the application process easy to understand and accessible,
and that educated and informed prospective applicants about clean school bus technology, infrastructure,
and associated benefits, including energy/cost savings, reduced health risks, and mitigation of climate
change. These resource materials were especially helpful in reducing barriers for first-time adopters and
school districts that have unique situations.
¦ EPA provided multiple opportunities for stakeholder feedback throughout the planning and
implementation phases to improve the program and application process. Feedback was collected via
Q&A at webinars, through the cleanschoolbus@epa.aov inbox, during stakeholder engagement meetings,
and from regional connections.
Despite being the first funding opportunity from a new EPA program, the 2022 CSB Rebates provided
successful stakeholder outreach and achieved a high degree of interest and buy-in, laying the groundwork for
the program to achieve its goals through future funding opportunities.
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Looking Ahead
The 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates Program was the first of several funding opportunities for the multi-
year CSB Program. EPA anticipates running both a grant and rebate competition in FY 2023. The Agency
encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates and those that did not apply in this
funding cycle to participate in future rounds.
EPA intends to open the first competitive Request for Applications for Clean School Bus grant funding in early
2023. EPA will post program updates as they become available on the Clean School Bus Program webpaae.
EPA expects to continue utilizing the education and outreach best practices outlined in this report, and will
continue to improve upon them by inviting additional stakeholder feedback. The CSB Program's education and
outreach strategy is a living document that EPA intends to update annually to reflect these improvements.
Additionally, EPA plans to continue utilizing its communication channels to share information with stakeholders
throughout the implementation stage of the CSB Program. As CSB Program projects begin, EPA will work with
stakeholders to document successes through testimonials and pictures that can be shared publicly
Additionally, EPA intends to continue working with interagency partners to develop clean school bus resources.
For example, future resources might include information regarding bus and fueling infrastructure deployment,
operations and maintenance, and workforce development and training as outlined in the IIJA. These types of
resources would provide assistance to CSB Program selectees and future applicants as they carry out the
process of transitioning their fleets to clean school buses.
The replacement of older school buses with newer, cleaner buses not only substantially reduces harmful
emissions that increase the risk of asthma and other respiratory illnesses, but also reduces GHG emissions
in the transportation sector. The CSB Program is a critical step towards protecting the health of students, bus
drivers, school staff, and surrounding communities, and towards addressing climate change and environmental
justice. The program will also bolster American manufacturing and create good-paying U.S. jobs, all while
making electric school buses the American standard.
Credit: EPA; John Lewis Elementary School, Washington, D.C., October 2022
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