Fresno and other area school districts can cover the costs of buying new school buses powered by electricity, propane, or compressed natural gas after receiving federal funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program.

Fresno Unified will receive $6.625 million in rebate funding to buy 25 school buses, Selma Unified will get nearly $1.4 million in rebate funding to buy four school buses, Sierra Unified will get $800,000 in rebate funding to buy four school buses, and Caruthers Unified will get $345,000 in rebate funding for one school bus.

The EPA Clean School Bus program was allocated $5 billion to convert the nation’s bus fleet from gasoline to zero- or low-emission vehicles.

“Fleets of clean electric school buses are coming to the San Joaquin Valley thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said in a news release Thursday. “These investments will improve the air we breathe and save money for our school districts while building a more sustainable future for our children.”

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Awards also went to:

• Yosemite Unified: $3.95 million, seven buses.
• Los Banos Unified: $2,4 million, seven buses.
• Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified: $2,37 million, six buses.
• Wasco Union Elementary: $1.4 million, four buses.
• Earlimart Elementary, $1 million, three buses.
• Liberty Elementary, Tulare: $265,000, one bus.

The EPA will make selections in future funding rounds and other programs. The agency is accepting applications for the 2024 Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant program until 11:59 p.m. July 25. The program offers up to $932 million in funding, of which 70% will pay for new, zero-emission Class 6 or 7 school buses.