Parsippany School Buses Going Greener Thanks To Federal Funding

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Parsippany's fleet of school buses is going a little greener. The Parsippany-Troy Hills School District will receive federal funding for 10 low-emission buses to replace old diesel vehicles.

The Environmental Protection Agency allocated $10 million in rebates this year for school districts to replace diesel school buses with new electric, diesel, gas, propane or compressed-natural-gas vehicles that meet emissions standards. This year's rebates include $200,000 for Parsippany schools to get 10 new buses.

The EPA's funding for the endeavor comes from the 2021 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. The agency set a tentative timeline for school districts and bus contractors to order the vehicles by the end of May, with delivery by the end of October.

Parsippany schools will receive newer, environmentally cleaner buses powered by certified 2017-or-newer model year diesel engines. The vehicles fall under the category of "clean school buses," reducing emissions.

The EPA also rewarded 11 school districts with a combined $7 million for new, zero-emission electric school buses. The funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 — a federal coronavirus-relief package signed into law last year.

The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act — often called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, signed into law last November — will also give the EPA $5 billion over five years to replace school buses with cleaner models.

“I am proud to have supported the American Rescue Plan and the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, which are helping New Jersey schools replace old diesel buses with low or zero-emission buses, starting with Parsippany here in my district,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill. “This is a great step in our effort to fight climate change, transition to green infrastructure, and protect the health of our children.

Schools buses travel billions of miles per year, transporting 25 million American children to and from school each day, according to the EPA. The diesel exhaust from buses also negatively impacts health, especially for children who breathe more quickly than adults and don't have fully developed lungs, the EPA said.

While new buses must meet the agency's tougher emission standards, many older vehicles continue to emit significant diesel exhaust.

Transportation accounted for 29 percent of U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions in 2019 — just ahead of electricity (25 percent) and industry (23 percent) — according to the EPA.

Thanks for reading. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter and follow the Parsippany Patch Facebook page.