Zero Emission School Bus Grant Program Authorization

The Washington State Department of Ecology must offer grants for the replacement of diesel school buses with zero emission school buses within the Clean Diesel Grants program. In June 2025, In June 2025, the Department of Ecology submitted a required report to the governor and the legislature that provides a status update and a summary of recommendations and implementation considerations.

In December 2024, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction published a requires report to the legislature on its statewide survey on total cost of ownership (TCO) of existing zero emission school buses. Using this formula, once the TCO of a zero emission school bus, or vehicles used in lieu of buses, is at or below that of a diesel school bus, school districts may only receive funding to purchase zero emission school buses. Zero emission school bus refers to a school bus that produces zero exhaust emission of any air pollutant and any greenhouse gas other than water vapor.

(Reference Revised Code of Washington 28A.160.195, 28A.160.140, 70A.15.4200, and 28A.300)