Governor Cooper visited a Durham bus facility to highlight North Carolina’s receipt of $26.7 million in federal funding for electric school buses. The funding, part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant Program, will provide 114 new electric buses, primarily serving low-income, rural, and Tribal communities in 13 counties.
“This funding for electric school buses improves the health and safety of North Carolina students, fights air pollution and bolsters our state’s economy,” said Governor Cooper in a press release.
Key allocations include 38 buses for Durham, 27 for Charlotte, and 15 for Cherokee Central Schools. This initiative adds to the 31 buses funded in 2022 and 43 buses financed through a Volkswagen settlement, totaling 188 electric buses for North Carolina schools.
The funding aligns with Governor Cooper’s goals for better-resourced schools, a clean energy economy, and a healthier environment. The program is backed by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Carolina Thomas LLC, a Greensboro-based company, received over $20 million in the latest funding round to replace 61 diesel buses in 11 districts. Governor Cooper’s administration continues to pursue federal funding for such environmental and clean energy projects.
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