LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Dozens of families across the valley toured one of Clark County School District's first electric school buses Saturday morning.
In 2022, CCSD received nearly $10 million in funding from the Biden-Harris Federal Clean Energy Plan for 25 electric school buses.
Before that funding was granted, CCSD invested in its first four electric school buses through the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection's Volkswagen Settlement and NV Energy's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration program — two programs Chispa Nevada helped ensure provided funding for electric school buses.
This is a tweet from CCSD two years ago unveiling the buses:
Chispa Nevada— an organization that fights for the community's access to clean air, clean energy and a healthy environment— hosted a launch celebration at the Winchester-Dondero Cultural Center with food, drinks and family-friendly games.
Since 2017, Chispa Nevada's Clean Buses for Healthy Niños campaign has called for school districts to switch from dirty diesel buses to zero-emission electric school buses.
CCSD's new clean school buses are replacing aging diesel buses that emit tailpipe pollution that they said are especially harmful to children— whose lungs and brains are still developing.
According to the EPA, diesel pollution has been linked to asthma attacks, heart and lung disease, cancer and even more missed days of school and worst test scores in English and math.
The Chispa Vegas also said Latine children will most benefit from a clean ride to school as they are more likely to suffer from asthma.
“We thank the school district for their efforts so far to prioritize children’s health and introduce electric school buses, and can’t wait to see more zero-emission buses join the fleet. Our children deserve to breathe clean air,” said Rodrigo Gonzalez, Chispa Nevada senior community organizer.
