TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03) announced $2.37 million in federal funding awarded to Somerton Elementary School District as recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program rebate competition. The competition is awarding nearly $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help school districts across the nation purchase clean school buses that will accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and produce cleaner air in and around schools and communities.

Those school districts who received an award can now proceed with purchasing new buses and eligible infrastructure. Somerton Elementary School District requested six school buses under this program.

“In Arizona, we know how critical it is to transition to a clean and sustainable future and this clean energy bus award for Somerton Elementary will help make that possible,” said Rep. Grijalva. “We owe our kids cleaner air, less climate pollution and a healthier learning environment. It is has never been more apparent that the time to towards clean transportation options is now. I’ll continue to fight for programs that move away from dirty fossil fuels and will make clean and zero emissions the standard, not the exception.”

These awards are the first $1 billion of a five-year, $5 billion program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Rep. Grijalva helped pass. The EPA is also designing the next rounds of program funding to launch in the coming months, which will include an ambitious grant competition. Through future rounds of funding, EPA will make available another $1 billion for clean school buses in Fiscal Year 2023. EPA encourages school districts not selected in the first round of rebates – and those that did not apply this funding cycle – to participate in future rounds.

More information on the EPA Clean School Bus program is available here.