BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – A number of communities across the U.S. are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint, and East Baton Rouge Parish is no different.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System issued a news release stating that it hopes to use a $7.5 million 2022 Clean School Bus Rebate Program grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to purchase 19 new electric-powered buses.
If the plan is approved by the school board, Lion Electric Co. will provide the new vehicles.
Lion Electric Co. manufactures and distributes all-electric, zero-emission school buses. Each of its vehicles are 40 feet long, 120 inches wide and equipped with a 125-mile capacity. They can carry 71 people.
Should the proposed collaboration proceed, this would mark the first time the school district would receive fully funded buses.
School district and community leaders will join Lion Electric Co. officials to discuss the proposal Wednesday, Jan. 25, and the plan will be presented to the school board for approval in February.