The air in Maryland is going to be a lot cleaner thanks to a major win for Clean Buses For Healthy Niños!

HB1255, also known as the School Bus Transition – Zero-Emission Vehicles – Grant Program and Fund, was signed into law on May 13. This legislation will create a grant structure for school districts to begin transitioning their school buses to an electric fleet in Maryland.

In Maryland, there are approximately 623,000 kids who ride school buses to over 24 school districts, which serve more than 879,000, over half of whom are Latino or black. And when those school buses are fueled by dirty diesel and let off toxic emissions, they make a big impact on people’s health — in Maryland, nearly 1 in 10 people suffer from asthma.

Electric school buses are the only kinds of buses to produce ZERO emissions. Thanks to this program, we will see a dramatic decrease in toxic emissions and our kids will live healthier, safer lives. Electric school buses are not just better for our health, but also cleaner for the environment, and ultimately cheaper; they can help local school districts save $10,000 to $12,000 money per year in maintenance and operation costs. They are the best investment in our children’s health.

This is an important step on the path to reducing air pollution from diesel that contributes to negative health impacts of our most vulnerable populations in Maryland. We thank all our partners and supporters and special thanks to our Chispa Maryland Promotoras for all their support and hard work to protect the health of our children.

Chispa Maryland Director, Ramon Palencia-Calvo and advocates join Governor Larry Hogan at the bill signing ceremony.