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Seven Georgia school districts will receive nearly $60 million in federal funding for new electric and low-emission buses.

The Georgia grant is part of $1 billion going to school systems across the country to pay for clean buses. The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure spending bill Congress passed in 2021.

Every day, nearly 25 million children ride more than 500,000 predominantly diesel buses to school in the U.S., which contributes to air pollution that exposes children to unhealthy air.

“This is about converting fleets of diesel-powered school buses into clean energy vehicles for the future,” said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who was instrumental in getting the school bus funds into the infrastructure bill. “This investment demonstrates the power of bipartisan cooperation to deliver tangible results for our communities.”

The Georgia grant will provide 156 new electric buses. The Clayton and DeKalb County school districts will receive 50 buses each, with 25 going to Richmond County Schools, 15 to Bibb County schools, 10 to the Carrollton City School District, and six to Glynn County schools.

In addition, the Marietta school system will receive 15 propane-fueled buses.