Governor Ralph Northam announced on Thursday, August 19, that more than $10.5 million in funds from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust, administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, will be used to replace 83 diesel school buses with electric and propane buses in 19 school districts across the Commonwealth.

 

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) will receive $1,442,244 to purchase six buses.

 

“This investment by the Commonwealth of Virginia is a vital next step in moving us towards a cleaner, more environmentally and student-friendly transportation system.” said LCPS Director of Transportation Scott Davies. 

 

By providing funds for clean school buses, the Department of Environmental Quality will help Virginia achieve clean energy goals, reduce air pollution, and mitigate climate change. The grant that provides the money for this initiative came from a Trust funded by the Volkswagen settlement that is working to reduce emissions and support environmental programs.

 

Northam announced the launch of the $20 million program in May 2021 to help transition school buses away from diesel and toward cleaner fuels like electricity and propane. The program’s investments in clean alternatives, which are intended to reduce harmful vehicle pollution, have helped accelerate an equitable transition to a cleaner economy for all Virginians.

 

LCPS recently began the first phase of a pilot program to test the use of five electric school buses through a partnership with Dominion Energy. With the DEQ grant funds, the school division has an opportunity to further expand the pilot program to phase two to gather additional data. The data being gathered will inform the development of a long-term fleet management strategic plan, which will outline future phases of fleet renewal and transformation to alternative energy sources.

 

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) hosted a “plug-in” ceremony for five new Jouley electric school buses on Tuesday, May 4. The buses, which usually cost $390,000 each, were purchased with the help of a Sustainability Grant from Dominion Energy. This grant covered $260,000 toward the purchase of each bus and the cost of their charging stations.

 

Published 8/24/21