Sioux City, Iowa – The Sioux City Community School District has won a federal grant of almost six-million dollars to buy 15 new school buses, what are considered “clean” buses. Shelly Reimer, a grant project officer with the US Environmental Protection Agency, says the grant process was very competitive and Sioux City stood out as an ideal candidate for the effort.
The electric buses are proving to be the most popular option, according to Reimer, and she says the clean buses will help to improve the air quality for children and their families, as they’re low- or zero-emission vehicles.
She says the EPA is hearing very positive feedback from other school districts that have already made the switch from diesel to electric buses.
In addition to being better for the environment, she says the clean buses will be cheaper for school districts to operate.
Other Iowa school districts have a few weeks to apply for similar grants. The EPA is taking applications for the 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate Program through January 31st.
