Congressman Rob Menendez Applauds $19,000,000 in Clean School Bus Program Grants for New Jersey

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Menendez today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) award of $18,948,121 in Clean School Bus Program grant funding for school districts in New Jersey. Due to this grant, which Congressman Menendez wrote a letter of support for, Elizabeth, Newark, and Union City will be able to purchase new low and zero-emission school buses. 

“I was honored to help secure these significant federal grant awards for Elizabeth, Newark, and Union City which will provide safe transportation for students while making the air they breathe cleaner,” said Congressman Menendez. “Investments like these in our urban communities are key to advancing our environmental justice agenda. I am committed to continuing the work to address climate change, improve air quality, and support all of our Eighth District communities.”

“The City of Elizabeth commends the EPA for their commitment to cleaner air through initiatives like the Clean School Bus Grants,” said Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage. “We would like to thank Congressman Menendez for his instrumental support and ensuring a healthier tomorrow for the City of Elizabeth. This grant is a testament to our commitment to fostering a healthier, greener future for our community and ensuring a sustainable, cleaner environment for generations to come.” 

“So much of the overall health and life enjoyment of our city’s residents is dependent on our environment; this Clean School Bus Program does more than help reduce emission and clean our air. It also engrains in our children’s young minds that doing so is important, that their city has made a commitment to sustainability, and that we all have the power to make changes that protect our planet and ourselves,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka.“In Newark, we have already taken action to reverse years of environmental injustice with initiatives such as our very successful GoNewark program of e-scooters and bike rentals for low- to no-emissions transportation, and we will soon be operating the largest municipal fleet of EV sanitation trucks in the nation. I am grateful to Congressman Menendez for supporting this grant for new, clean school buses critical to our progress, and to the EPA for the award." 

“Union City residents will all benefit from the new school buses that we will purchase with this federal EPA Clean School Buses Program grant,” said Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack. “The 12 buses that our schools are receiving because of this grant will ensure that our air stays clean while providing our students with new, state-of-the-art transportation. Thank you to Congressman Menendez for supporting our community and securing this grant that will greatly help Union City.”

Elizabeth, Newark, and Union City are three of only 67 municipalities in the United States to receive awards through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. 

Elizabeth will purchase six new buses, Newark will purchase seven new buses, and Union City will purchase 12 new buses due to these federal grant awards.