New Jersey is accelerating its transition to electric school buses, a step advocates say will reduce harmful air pollution as well as curb emissions contributing to climate change.
On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law (S-759) that will provide $45 million over three years to purchase zero-emission buses and award them to at least six school districts or bus contractors. At least half of the $15 million awarded annually by the state Department of Environmental Protection will be allocated to a low-income urban or environmental justice community.
Converting diesel buses to an electric fleet has been a top priority of environmental organizations over the past few years. The pilot program, they say, could jump-start efforts to convert the fleet of 15,000 diesel school buses to electric vehicles.
Electric school buses can cost up to $400,000 each compared to $150,000 for the current diesel vehicles.
“In order to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and optimally capitalize on the benefits of vehicle electrification, we must electrify not just the cars that bring us to work, but the buses that safely deliver our children to school,’’ Murphy said in a news release.
Health issue for children, communities
In the first year of the program, the $15 million in grants will come from the state’s general fund. Funding in other years may come out of the state’s Clean Energy Fund, proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative or monies available from other utility programs.
“By getting our children off diesel and onto electric school buses, we are better protecting their health and our entire communities from the particulate matter diesel buses spew into our neighborhoods,’’ said DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.
Electrifying the transportation sector is a key component of the Murphy administration’s goal of transitioning from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by mid-century. The sector accounts for more than 40% of greenhouse-gas emissions, spurring several initiatives to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road, according to Board of Public Utilities President Joseph Fiordaliso.
‘It is especially critical that communities that bear the burden of the cumulative impacts of air pollution from heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses … are the first to make this necessary transition away from diesel burning buses.’ — Melissa Miles, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
The programs include a highly popular rebate program to buy electric cars by motorists; an effort to begin electrifying medium- and heavy-duty trucks; and building the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Diesel emissions seep into the cabins of existing school buses and then into lungs of children, according to Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “It’s time to protect our kids’ health and our air quality by taking this first step toward electrification,’’ he said.
NJ lags behind other states
New Jersey has lagged behind other states in transitioning to electric school buses. The new investment of $45 million is nearly double the $24.5 million the state has already spent in purchasing 77 zero-emission buses, none of which are on the road yet.
The pilot program also is expected to help determine the most economical and practical way to transition all of New Jersey’s diesel school bus fleet to electric vehicles over the next decade. The goal is to flag institutional, operational or policy issues that will need to be addressed as the state scales up the replacement of the diesel buses in the next decade.
Environmental justice advocates praised the focus on communities already suffering from heavy pollution.
“It is especially critical that communities that bear the burden of the cumulative impacts of air pollution from heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses, along with other environmental and climate risks are the first to make this necessary transition away from diesel burning buses,’’ said Melissa Miles, executive director of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance.
