New funding for two Central Coast school districts to support their purchase of 35 clean school buses for local students has been announced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and the Biden-Harris administration have announced

Santa Barbara Unified School District and Ventura Unified School District are receiving a total of $7 million in rebates through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, which was created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Santa Barbara Unified School District will receive $5,080,000 to help purchase 25 clean school buses.

Ventura Unified School District will receive $2,000,000 to help purchase 10 clean school buses.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping cut carbon pollution through support for zero-emission and low-emission alternatives across our society – from transportation to schools,” Carbajal said.

The rebates will help California accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles and replace older, diesel-fueled school buses, which have been linked to asthma and other conditions that harm the health of students and surrounding communities. Carbajal’s office said.

The EPA Clean School Bus Program funds the purchase of electric buses and ensure lower tailpipe emissions than older diesel predecessors.