Washington, D.C.— Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced new clean vehicle initiatives, including the first-ever goal to transition to a zero emission freight sector and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of a $1 billion grant competition to help replace dirty diesel trucks and buses with clean, zero-emission ones. In response to today’s announcements, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Chispa released the following statements:

“The Biden-Harris administration is, once again, delivering on their clean energy plan by swiftly implementing the clean energy investments for cleaner trucks and buses in the Inflation Reduction Act,” said LCV’s Government Affairs Advocate for Climate & Clean Energy Darien Davis. “These announcements are a huge step toward electrifying trucks and buses across the country, especially in communities disproportionately impacted by toxic tailpipe pollution. The Clean Heavy Duty Vehicle program will not only help replace old heavy-duty vehicles – it will fund workforce development, critical charging infrastructure, and additional project implementation for zero-emission trucks and buses. We congratulate the Biden-Harris administration for their continued leadership and urge the EPA to continue the momentum by granting California’s Advanced Clean Trucks waiver to further advance the adoption of electric heavy-duty vehicles.”

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“We are excited to welcome this new Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program funding that can be used for electric school buses for our children to have healthier commutes and cleaner air. Our Chispa communities, parents, and students have organized for years to ensure a transition away from dirty diesel buses to protect the health of children suffering from asthma and those overexposed to polluted transportation corridors,” said Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González. “We know electric school buses produce zero tailpipe pollution, perform well and have a lower total cost of ownership. With this new funding and IRA tax credits for clean vehicles, there’s never been a better time to replace aging diesel buses with a clean ride for kids, and we look forward to working with our communities and school districts to access this money.”

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