WASHINGTON, D.C. — Five Pennsylvania school districts are set to take a significant leap towards environmental sustainability. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced yesterday that the districts will receive a total of 120 clean school buses, thanks to funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This initiative aims to phase out diesel engines in school transportation, thereby improving air quality and reducing health risks for students.
The switch to clean school buses will have far-reaching implications, not only for the environment but also for the health and well-being of the state’s young learners. Diesel exhaust is associated with a range of health issues, including asthma and other respiratory conditions. By replacing diesel buses with clean ones, Pennsylvania schools are taking a proactive step to reduce these risks.
The school districts benefiting from this initiative include the School District of Philadelphia, William Penn School District in Delaware County, Pittsburgh School District, Laurel Highlands School District in Fayette County, and New Castle Area School District in Lawrence County.
“Clean school buses ensure our children are breathing cleaner air, which will set them up with a brighter and healthier future,” said Senator Casey. “The infrastructure law is continuing to deliver for Pennsylvania and helping us build a cleaner, brighter future for our children.”
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Casey helped pass in 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency is assisting school districts nationwide in replacing their existing school buses with clean and zero-emission alternatives.
Of the 120 new clean school buses, 20 will be allocated to the School District of Philadelphia. The remaining 100 buses will be distributed by First Student, a third-party transportation company serving the William Penn, Pittsburgh, Laurel Highlands, and New Castle Area School Districts.
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