With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Nearly 300 high-polluting school buses will be taken off the streets in SoCal school districts
The new buses will go to over 30 school districts in Southern California.
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Students across the Southland will have new rides soon. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which regulates our air quality, will swap out nearly 300 older, high-polluting school buses with new electric ones.
The details: South Coast AQMD is awarding $78 million from clean air programs to school districts to pay for them, as well as install charging equipment. The buses are expected to roll out by the middle of next year.
Who’s getting them? The electric buses will go to 35 public school districts , most of which are in Los Angeles County (primarily LAUSD). Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties will also get a cut of the fleet.
Sponsored message
Why it matters: About 87% of the new buses will serve communities that are disproportionately burdened by pollution and are more sensitive to it — that comes from the state tool CalEnviroScreen . South Coast AQMD says the swap will also reduce harmful emissions, such as smog-forming nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
Go deeper:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
