Governor Roy Cooper joined Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to unveil the first electric school bus in North Carolina and highlight the state’s transition to a clean energy economy.
>
The purchase of this bus was made possible by an award from the NC Department of Environmental Quality using funds from the Volkswagen Emissions Settlement.
“This electric school bus is better for the environment and our children’s health, and it was made right here in North Carolina,†Governor Cooper said.
In addition to the dedication of the inaugural electric bus, EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced that the tribe has been awarded an EPA Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant to buy four all-electric school buses.
This electric bus is part of a larger goal of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to buy at least 50% electric or hybrid vehicles when making new fleet purchases and install 20 electric vehicle charging stations on the Qualla Boundary and at tribal buildings by 2024.
The tribe is also working to install electric vehicle chargers and install solar panels on residential homes.
The electric school bus was built by Thomas Built Buses, a bus company established in High Point. The purchase of this school bus was made possible through a VW grant administered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality as part of the Volkswagen Settlement Phase 1 Mitigation Plan.
The bus is the first of six electric school buses awarded in Phase 1 of the Volkswagen program. The application period for Volkswagen Phase 2 school bus replacement grants is open now through June 6, 2022 and includes $27 million available to replace diesel school buses with a goal of directing at least 50% of available funds toward electrification projects.
In January, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order No. 246 that directs the North Carolina Department of Transportation to work with public and private sectors to create a Clean Transportation Plan that will craft solutions for a cleaner and more resilient transportation system. The Order underscores the importance of emphasizing environmental justice and equity in the state’s transition to a clean economy. ■