Wisconsin receives nearly $18M for clean buses, dump trucks

Wisconsin is slated to receive nearly $18 million to replace older heavy-duty vehicles that run on diesel with newer zero-emissions vehicles.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the funding as part of $735 million awarded to 70 applicants nationwide. The money comes from the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant program, which was created under the Inflation Reduction Act.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan credited President Joe Biden with accelerating development of clean technologies to combat climate change.

“Together, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant projects announced today will slash air pollution and enhance the country’s infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, creating good-paying jobs along the way,” Regan said in a statement.

The funding will help the Milwaukee Public Schools and city of Milwaukee replace 58 heavy-duty vehicles. The money will aid with purchasing 50 zero-emission buses for the school district, as well as eight fully electric dump trucks and charging infrastructure for the city.

The vehicles are expected to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, fine particle pollution and nitrogen oxide emissions that can form smog. The vehicles are also expected to reduce transportation costs for the district.

Funding awarded by the EPA will go toward purchasing more than 2,400 zero-emission vehicles nationwide. The agency said awards will be finalized early next year, and projects to replace vehicles will take place over the next two to three years.