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Biden admin offers $1.7B for electric buses
The funding stream announced Friday would help regional transit agencies retire high-emissions buses.
CLIMATEWIRE | A barrage of $1.7 billion in federal grant money from the 2021 infrastructure law could lower emissions from urban transit systems by accelerating a nationwide shift to electric and hydrogen buses.
The Biden administration announced Friday two competitive funding opportunities for regional transit authorities and local governments that want to upgrade their bus systems with low-emission vehicles. Selected agencies and governments would also invest in building charging facilities and a workforce capable of navigating the new technologies.
The announcement marks a second round of federal money from the infrastructure law for clean bus systems, following last year’s $1.6 billion funding for the Low or No Emission Grant Program and the Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. The infrastructure law provides $5.5 billion for the Low or No Emission Program for fiscal 2022 to 2026, more than six times the amount of funding for the previous five years.
“This is the down payment,” said Michael Pimentel, the executive director at the California Transit Association. “Congress, in approving the bipartisan infrastructure law, has really demonstrated its commitment to public transit and in passenger rail, by increasing the level of investment for those modes, within the structure of federal transportation spending.”
The law directs the Federal Transit Administration to give priority to local governments that have plans to adopt new technology, are committed to building zero-emission fleets and are working to address equity concerns, Pimentel said.
The Federal Transit Administration's notice of funding opportunity released Friday said the agency would favor plans that address environmental justice, provide opportunities to minority- and women-owned businesses, and support jobs with “strong labor standards.” The funding is also meant to buttress communities that “have experienced decades of underinvestment,” pollution and environmental hazards.
Another point of consideration is climate resiliency. A transit agency’s electric bus system would be considered more resilient if it can operate during regional power outages. The ability to use backup power could be achieved with plans for microgrids and battery storage, Pimentel said, such as a localized system of wind turbines that is owned by a transit agency.
Carbon emissions of fossil fuel buses are only marginally better than those of private vehicles, according to a Department of Energy study published in 2021. The wide usage of buses in public transit — and their high emissions — makes the transition of bus fleets to electric vehicles one priority for the Biden administration.
Last year, federal funding for the two competitive grant programs went to 150 projects and financed more than 1,800 new buses across the country.
The FTA is required by law to grant funding within 75 days after the application close date. The deadline for prospective applicants is April 13.
