UNION CITY, N.J. (PIX11) - Some school buses are looking much different under the hood these days.
Soon, some schools in New Jersey will have more electric buses thanks to a $19 million federal grant.
"Everything we've been focused on has been, 'how do we create a clean environment for our children so that they can breathe easy?'" said Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Hosted by students at Jose Marti STEM Academy in Union City, Booker announced that the grant, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will go toward more than 40 new electric school buses and 28 chargers across five different districts to improve air quality in cities.
"I'll never forget the conversation at a local Newark Public School with a school nurse who broke down in tears telling me how many of her children were suffering from asthma – which is the number one... health reason kids miss school," said Booker.
The grant money will bring a total of 42 electric buses to Union City (12), Newark (6), Elizabeth (7), Lakewood Township (14) and Bloomfield Township (3).
"If you are a kid on a dirty diesel school bus, you are breathing in toxic fumes," said Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. "This should be the last generation of New Jersey kids that has to put up with that."
O'Malley hopes the bill, which has a lifespan of about three more years, cleans up urban school districts.
"We need to get more funding so that more districts can make the leap," O'Malley said.
New Jersey also launched its own school bus electrification program last month, looking to use up to $45 million to replace diesel buses over the next three years.
English (US) ·