Program Overview and Funding
- The Biden-Harris Administration has announced the selection of 70 applicants to receive over $735 million in funding for the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, as well as infrastructure and workforce development projects.
- The funding is part of the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to replace existing internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles and support the build-out of clean vehicle infrastructure.
- The selected projects will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country, particularly in those that have been overburdened by air pollution.
- The program will accelerate the adoption and deployment of eligible Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles, including battery-electric box trucks, cargo trucks, emergency vehicles, and other vocational vehicles, as well as a small number of hydrogen fuel cell transit buses.
- The funding will also support the development of zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, such as electric vehicle charging stations, and workforce development and training.
- The selected applicants are from 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory, and will help to reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, which is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, among other serious health problems.
- EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated that the program will “slash air pollution and enhance the country’s infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, creating good-paying jobs along the way.”
- Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, John Podesta, emphasized the importance of reducing pollution from heavy-duty transportation to tackle the climate crisis.
- White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi highlighted the Administration’s sector-wide approach to decarbonizing transportation, which is delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits to communities across the country.
Funding Allocation and Impact
- The Biden-Harris Administration has announced over $735 million in selections for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, supporting the implementation of the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.
- Approximately 70% of the selected projects will support the purchase of clean school buses, providing clean air for children and complementing EPA’s Clean School Bus program, which has awarded nearly $3 billion for nearly 9,000 clean school buses to date.
- Selected projects include Boston Public Schools receiving $35,079,653 to replace 125 diesel and propane school buses with zero-emissions electric units, Saint Louis Public Schools receiving $10,128,735 to replace 30 diesel buses with zero-emission buses, and North Central Texas Council of Governments receiving $60,000,000 to award rebates for replacing approximately 234 vocational vehicles with zero-emission vehicles.
- The Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, aiming to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities, and prioritizes communities facing air quality challenges.
- Approximately $523 million of the funds will be used to fund projects serving communities located in areas in nonattainment with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Project Implementation and Workforce Development
- Funding may also be used to support zero-emission vehicle adoption and deployment by providing zero-emission vehicle refueling infrastructure, workforce development and training, and project implementation costs.
- The EPA will work with selected applicants to finalize awards, anticipated to be completed in early 2025, and project implementation will occur over the next two to three years depending on the scope of each project.
- The program also supports workforce development, with North Central Texas Council of Governments developing a regional ZEV workforce development plan and hosting first responder training specific to ZEV.
- The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has been selected to receive $190,000 to replace its laundry truck with an all-electric alternative, utilizing existing charging infrastructure and planning for new infrastructure installation.
Future Workforce Development Initiatives
- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Labor plan to launch a separate grant program in early 2025 focused on strengthening the workforce development ecosystem.
- The primary goal of this grant program is to develop curricula that prepare workers to maintain and repair Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).
Additional Information and Contact
- For additional information and updates on the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, applicants can visit the program’s webpage.
- Applicants with questions can also reach out to the EPA via email at cleanhdvehicles@epa.gov for further assistance.
- The EPA is currently working with tentatively selected applicants to finalize awards and implement their projects as part of the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program.
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