Electric buses on Washington state horizon

Some school districts in Washington state may soon receive 14 electric school buses at no cost, pending a grant application. The Woodland School District, which oversees the transportation cooperative, was awarded a $2.8m grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The grant will cover $200,000 for each bus, with the remaining funds expected from the Washington State Department of Ecology. KWRL, a cooperative consisting of Woodland, Kalama, Ridgefield, and La Center districts, operates a fleet of 120 buses. Shannon Barnett, KWRL Transportation Director, stated: “We expect to find out whether we will receive the Department of Ecology grant this month.” The state Legislature’s House Bill 1368 mandates a transition to zero-emission buses, which are essential for reducing air pollutants and greenhouse gases.