Washington, D.C. – On the news that New York state plans to invest its $127 million Volkswagen settlement fund in clean vehicles, including a priority for “replacing old diesel-powered school buses with new, all-electric school buses,” Johana Vicente, National Deputy Director for Chispa, a community organizing program of the League of Conservation Voters, released the following statement:

“New York’s plan to use Volkswagen settlement funds to invest in electric vehicles demonstrates that state governments are listening to the thousands of parents, youths, and advocates who have called for clean, zero-emission transportation options that won’t pollute the air our children breathe. We welcome this ambitious commitment to electric school buses and call on governors across the country to follow New York’s example in putting our kids first.

“This plan’s promise to reduce pollution in low income and communities of color also responds to the repeated demand from Chispa and our partners at the local, state, and national level, like the New York League of Conservation Voters, to focus funding on where students and families are most at risk of breathing dirty air and disproportionately carry the burden of pollution.

“We congratulate the New York League of Conservation Voters on their hard work and success organizing with thousands of New Yorkers through the Clean Buses for Healthy Niños campaign, and we look forward to their continued work with Governor Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation to prioritize children’s health by converting dirty diesel-fueled school buses into clean, zero-emission electric school buses first.”

For more information on the Clean Buses for Healthy Niños campaign, please visit www.cleanride4kids.org.