The state’s push to electrify the transportation sector is getting a vital infusion of funding to speed up the transition away from fossil-fueled vehicles, the largest single source of emissions contributing to climate change.
A range of state and federal initiatives totaling approximately $44 million has been allocated to the effort, with the bulk to be used to purchase electric school buses. The remainder is set to help install charging stations for light-duty vehicles to be used by people living in multi-dwelling units.
With transportation accounting for up to 40% of climate pollution, drastically slashing emissions from automobiles, buses, trucks and off-road vehicles is considered a crucial component of the state’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2006 levels by mid-century.
Clean-energy advocates have repeatedly called on the state to ramp up spending to get gasoline-powered vehicles off New Jersey roads by offering incentives to consumers to switch to zero-emission cars, trucks and buses. To do so requires a major investment in building the electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the state.
For the past few years, a big focus has been on replacing nearly 8,000 diesel-powered buses transporting students to public schools. Prior to Christmas, after months of wrangling, the Legislature concurred with a conditional veto from Gov. Phil Murphy appropriating $15 million in state funds to secure electric school buses.
‘The Clean School Bus program will create a pathway for entire school districts in our region to upgrade their bus fleets, and, in turn, reduce air pollution and protect public health.’ — Lisa Garcia, EPA Regional Administrator
In addition, President Joe Biden’s administration earlier this week announced another nearly $19 million would go to New Jersey out of its initial Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus program.
The awards, made possible by passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law a few years ago by Congress will allow five mostly urban school districts to buy 42 clean school buses and 28 bus chargers. The districts include Elizabeth, Newark, Union City, Bloomfield and Lakewood.
“Electric and low-emission school buses (those using propane or compressed natural gas) are just one important way forward for a clean and just transition,’’ said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia. “The Clean School Bus program will create a pathway for entire school districts in our region to upgrade their bus fleets, and, in turn, reduce air pollution and protect public health.’’
Long-term effects of diesel fuel
Air pollution from older diesel vehicles is linked to asthma and other conditions that cause harm to students’ health, causing them to miss school and lowering their test scores. The federal program is intended to provide $5 billion over five years to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses.
New Jersey has less than 20 electric school buses on its roads, but has another 150 on order, according to Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “This is the shot in the arm we need to electrify our school bus fleet. We know there is a lot more demand in the state,’’ he said.
“It is a good outcome,’’ agreed James Sherman, project developer and CEO of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies of Montclair. “This is going to create cleaner, healthier and quieter communities across New Jersey, including some of the largest environmental justice communities in the state.’’
Electric buses cost as much as two to three times the cost of a conventional diesel bus, according to Sherman. But he and others said electric school buses have a lower total cost of ownership due to lower fuel and maintenance costs.
In another announcement Wednesday, the Biden administration awarded approximately $622 million nationwide to help build out the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles by deploying up to 6,000 chargers in 24 states.
New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection was awarded $10 million, which will be used to install chargers to be accessible to multi-dwelling units.
