Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chester Upland applies for EPA electric-bus rebates, seeks solar panels for high school roof
Summary
District staff told the board they have applied to the EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program for six electric buses to be leased to the district's current transportation vendor and submitted a separate application to add solar panels to Chester High following a recent roof grant.
Chester Upland School District officials said Jan. 16 they have applied for federal funding to replace diesel buses with six electric buses and separately applied for a solar installation at Chester High School.
The district has applied to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Rebate Program for six electric buses that would be leased to the district's current transportation provider, Chester Elite, and would charge at a facility referred to in the meeting as Toby Farms. "Chester Upland School District is going clean," Miss Hales said while summarizing the two applications.
The solar application would fund rooftop panels at Chester High. Hales said the district previously received a $1.6 million grant to restore the high school roof; the new application is for about $500,000 to place solar panels on that roof.
Board members asked how maintenance and ownership would be handled if the district changed transportation vendors. Hales said the district would lease the buses to Chester Elite, the current vendor, and that the vendor would be responsible for day-to-day maintenance; she added the district's solicitor would work out lease details if the rebate is awarded.
Hales provided the EPA's timeline cited in the application: award notices are expected in April 2025, with negotiation and purchase activity projected between May and August and the buses in use by September 2025, if the application is successful.
The board did not take a vote on either application during the meeting. Staff said they will follow up with legal and contracting details if the district is selected for funding.
Context: The Clean School Bus program provides rebates to school districts to replace older diesel buses with lower-emission alternatives and includes funding for charging equipment. The district's presentation to the board focused on the grant applications and on logistical questions about leasing and fleet turnover.
Outlook: If awarded, the projects would require lease and procurement agreements, negotiation of maintenance responsibilities and a timeline to place buses into service in the 2025-26 school year.
