Biden Harris Administration Announces Over $735M in Selections for Clean Heavy Duty Vehicles as Part of Investing in America Agenda

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $735M in Selections for Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles as Part of Investing in America Agenda

70 applicants tentatively selected to receive funding for over 2,400 zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, along with infrastructure and workforce development projects, to tackle climate change, reduce air pollution, and advance environmental justice

December 11, 2024

WASHINGTON- Today, Dec. 11, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that 70 applicants across 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory have been tentatively selected to receive over $735 million to assist in the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission vehicles through its first-ever Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program. EPA's Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, created by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, will replace existing internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, while also supporting the build out of clean vehicle infrastructure, as well as the training of workers to deploy these new zero-emission technologies. Together, the selected projects announced today will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country, particularly in those that have been overburdened by air pollution.

"Thanks to President Biden, we are accelerating American leadership in developing clean technologies that address the impacts of climate change," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "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."

"To tackle the climate crisis, we have to slash pollution from every sector, including heavy-duty transportation," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. "Today's awards from the EPA will create good-paying jobs, make our communities healthier, and protect our planet."

"From zero-emission freight vehicles to clean school buses for kids, the Biden-Harris Administration is advancing the next generation of clean transportation that will help reduce pollution and make our nation's cities and communities healthier," said White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. "When paired with our investments in zero-emission port infrastructure and freight corridors, this Administration's sector-wide approach to decarbonizing transportation is delivering economic, social and environmental benefits to communities in every corner of the country."

Across the nation, over 3 million Class 6 and Class 7 vehicles are currently in use, spanning a wide variety of vehicle types and vocations. Many of these are older vehicles that emit higher levels of harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter, and greenhouse gases than newer vehicles. This pollution is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, among other serious health problems. Children, older adults, those with preexisting cardiopulmonary disease, and those of lower socioeconomic status are particularly vulnerable to these health impacts. Cleaning up pollution from heavy-duty vehicles helps protect the health of 72 million people living near truck freight routes in America.

EPA's Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program will accelerate the adoption and deployment of eligible Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles. Vehicles eligible for replacement include older vehicles powered by internal combustion engines that pre-date recent EPA emission standards.

Proposed replacement vehicles include battery-electric box trucks, cargo trucks, emergency vehicles, refuse/recycling haulers, school buses, shuttle buses, step vans, transit buses, utility vehicles, and other vocational vehicles, as well as a small number of hydrogen fuel cell transit buses. In addition, the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program also funds zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure (e.g., electric vehicle charging stations), as well as workforce development and training. These investments support the implementation of the Biden-Harris Administration's National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy .

Approximately 70% of the selections announced today will support the purchase of clean school buses, helping provide clean air for children on their ride to school. These projects complement EPA's Clean School Bus program through the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has awarded nearly $3 billion for nearly 9,000 clean school buses to date.

Selected Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program examples include:

• Boston Public Schoolshas been selected to receive an anticipated $35,079,653 to replace 125 Class 7 heavy-duty diesel and propane school buses with new, zero-emissions electric units, as well as charging provided by 125 Direct Current Fast Chargers, with advanced load management and sharing capability.

• Saint Louis Public Schoolshas been selected to receive an anticipated $10,128,735 to replace 30 Class 6/7 diesel buses with Class 6/7 zero-emission buses to reduce the district's emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases. The project will directly improve the air quality for students, staff, and community members and reduce district transportation costs. In addition, the district plans to leverage a public private partnership with Highland Electric Fleets (Highland) to ensure cost-effective use of EPA funding and successful implementation of the project.

• North Central Texas Council of Governmentshas been selected to receive an anticipated $60,000,000. NCTCOG will award rebates to program beneficiaries to replace approximately 234 vocational vehicles with 234 zero-emission vehicles. Specific projects will be identified through a Call for Projects to select rebate recipients. Based on a regional fleet survey conducted to inform this proposal, NCTCOG expects the fleet mix to consist mainly of box trucks, step vans, and refuse haulers; most new vehicles will be battery electric with a few hydrogen fuel cell vehicle pilot projects. Each project is expected to include supporting infrastructure. NCTCOG will also develop a regional ZEV workforce development plan, implement priorities identified through the plan and host first responder training specific to ZEV.

• Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Communityhas been selected to receive an anticipated $190,000. SMSC will use grant funding to replace its laundry truck with an all-electric alternative. It has existing charging infrastructure onsite that can be used while it waits for new charging infrastructure to be installed closer to where the vehicle will be parked, enabling the new truck to be in service as quickly as possible.

The Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

EPA prioritized disadvantaged communities facing air quality challenges, including nonattainment with EPA's fine particulate matter and ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards or high levels of ambient diesel PM. Applications were evaluated on engagement with affected communities, especially local residents, to ensure their meaningful participation with respect to the design, planning, and performance of the project. Approximately $523 million of the funds announced today will be used to fund projects serving communities located in areas in nonattainment with the NAAQS.

In addition to the funding for the replacement of existing internal combustion engine Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles with eligible Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles, funding may also be used to support zero-emission vehicle adoption and deployment by providing:

• Zero-emission vehicle refueling infrastructure.
• Workforce development and training.
• Project implementation costs.

EPA will work with selected applicants over the coming weeks to finalize awards. EPA currently anticipates finalizing awards in early calendar year 2025 once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied. Project implementation will occur over the next two to three years depending on the scope of each project.

Additionally, EPA and the Department of Labor expect to issue in early 2025 a separate grant program designed to strengthen the workforce development ecosystem through curriculum development in order to prepare workers to maintain and repair ZEVs.

Please visit the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program webpage for additional information and updates as EPA works with tentatively selected applicants to finalize awards and implement their projects.

Questions may also be directed to [email protected].

For further information and to stay up to date on matters related to our office, sign up for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles listserv.

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