WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $180,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to replace older, diesel school buses in West Virginia. This funding will be made available through rebates from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), which was reauthorized as part of the FY21 year-end funding package in December of last year. In total, this program will replace eight buses in Upshur County and one bus in Berkeley County.
“DERA is an example of commonsense, bipartisan legislation that is a win for states and federal governments alike, which is why I was proud to introduce this legislation in 2019. This funding—through DERA—will help lead to more reliable and safe transportation for our county schools, while also addressing emissions in a responsible way. These new buses will help reduce pollutants that are linked to asthma and lung damage, and create overall healthier conditions for our students,” Ranking Member Capito said.
“Every West Virginian deserves clean air to breathe, and the EPA’s investment to clean up school buses in Upshur and Berkeley Counties is great news for our state. The new buses will emit less pollutants that are linked with asthma and lung damage, and will create better health and air quality in Upshur and Berkeley Counties. As Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to work with the EPA to preserve and protect our clean air in the Mountain State,” said Chairman Manchin.
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