ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are welcoming $6.9 million in Infrastructure Law funding to help Albuquerque Public Schools replace older, diesel school buses with 20 new electric school buses.  

"Electrifying school buses is about making sure our kids aren't breathing in dangerous diesel fumes. This new funding will protect our kids' health, make our air cleaner, and save taxpayer money. This is the latest example of how our Infrastructure Law is building a better, healthier future for New Mexico's children," said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and co-founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus. 

"I'm proud to welcome nearly $7 million in funding from the Biden administration to help fund a new fleet of electric school buses at Albuquerque Public Schools," said Luján. "Through their daily commutes, students spend a large amount of their time on school buses and deserve clean air to breathe around schools and their communities. That's why I'm honored to welcome this critical funding that will add more clean school buses in Albuquerque." 

"The Biden Administration is providing a game changer for New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools," said Stansbury. "Each day, our buses take students all over cities--ensuring their safe travel to and from schools, and this $6.9 million plus the 20 electric school buses transforms the effect these buses have on our local environments--for the better. This investment is another example of how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law positively impacts New Mexico." 

"I'm proud to announce that Albuquerque Public Schools will receive $6.9 million in funding and 20 new electric school buses! This funding is a critical step towards supporting our environment and ensuring a healthier future for our children," said Vasquez. "Pollution levels inside school buses are often higher than outside, posing a significant health risk to our kids. This is precisely why I introduced the Clean School Bus Infrastructure Act—to help school districts create a safer, cleaner environment for our students." 

"We're incredibly grateful to Sen. Heinrich and the rest of the New Mexico congressional delegation for their role in securing $6.9 million for Albuquerque Public Schools through the Inflation Reduction Act," said incoming Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Gabriella Blakey. "The funding—allocated for the purchase of 20 electric buses—will allow us to begin modernizing our bus fleet, which will benefit the health of our community and the environment." 

About the Clean School Bus Program and Impacts of Electric Buses: 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program was created through the Infrastructure Law, which the N.M. Congressional Delegation helped to pass into law. The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, which produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving money for school districts, and producing cleaner air.  

The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these bus replacements will also help to address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling climate change. The Clean School Bus Program will save school districts money as they upgrade school bus fleets, replacing existing buses with brand new zero-emission and clean school buses, while freeing up needed resources for schools. 

According to a recent study published on May 20, 2024, an electric school bus emits 181 fewer metric tons of carbon dioxide than its diesel counterpart, amounting to significant health savings from less air pollution and reduced rates of mortality and childhood asthma. 

For more information about this funding, click here.