Hold onto your hats, folks—EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin just slammed the brakes on a whopping $2.3 billion in leftover funds from the Biden administration’s electric school bus program. This isn’t just a speed bump; it’s a full-on roadblock for progressive green dreams, especially in New York, where Gov. Kathy Hochul’s aggressive electric vehicle mandate is now teetering on shaky ground.
According to the New York Post, Zeldin’s decision to pause the funding stems from serious concerns over waste, cold-weather malfunctions, and production delays in the Congressionally mandated Clean School Bus program, all while casting a skeptical eye on Hochul’s push for electric buses across the state.
Let’s rewind a bit to see how we got here. Back in 2021, the bipartisan infrastructure law birthed the $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, aimed at replacing diesel buses with electric ones by the end of fiscal year 2026. Under Biden’s EPA, $2.7 billion was already spent on thousands of buses at a jaw-dropping $318,452.45 per vehicle.
But the rollout? A mess. Biden’s EPA handed out billions in rebates and grants to 1,152 districts for 8,236 buses, yet dozens are still waiting due to manufacturing snags, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
An EPA inspector general audit in 2023 didn’t mince words, warning that billions in taxpayer money were ripe for “potential fraud, waste, and abuse,” with $38 million in ineligible rebate requests yanked back. If that’s not a red flag for fiscal conservatives, what is?
In New York, the stakes are even higher thanks to Hochul and the state legislature’s mandate to halt diesel bus purchases by 2027 and go fully electric by 2035. Ambitious? Sure, but the New York State School Boards Association estimates replacing 45,000 diesel buses could cost $11.2 billion, not counting charging stations or building upgrades.
Zoom into New York City, where over $61 million in EPA grants went to two groups for 180 electric buses across five districts, with costs per bus ranging from $295,000 to nearly $395,000. Bird Bus Sales snagged a $31.6 million grant for 80 buses at almost $395,000 each, while NYC School Bus Umbrella Services, a nonprofit tied to the city’s Department of Education, got $29.5 million for 100 buses. Yet, it’s murky how many of these buses are even on the road.
Statewide, New York has poured over $210 million into electric buses, but only 150 are in use, per a spokesperson from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. That’s a lot of taxpayer cash for a handful of buses that, frankly, aren’t winning any popularity contests.
Parents and officials are sounding alarms over buses that can’t keep kids warm in winter, break down mid-route, and saddle districts with millions in transition costs. In Erie County’s Lake Shore Central School District, a $7.9 million grant funded nearly two dozen buses that left kids shivering in freezing conditions, with some stranded for half an hour when buses failed, as WIVB reported.
“Lake Shore Central School District is aware of questions regarding heating on electric buses during cold winter conditions,” said Superintendent Phil Johnson. “Student comfort and safety remain a priority.” Noble words, but when buses can’t keep the heat on, it’s hard to see how safety isn’t already compromised. Critics aren’t holding back either. “New York state pushing it onto rural school districts is an utterly ridiculous political act,” said Assemblyman Robert Smullen, R-Fulton, who argues this diverts funds from education to a transportation scheme that adds little value for students.
Only 7.4% of 583 surveyed districts even put forward ballot measures to take on debt for electric buses, per a late 2024 state education report, and seven of those measures flopped. If that’s not a clear message from taxpayers, what is? Districts can request two-year suspensions of the 2027 diesel ban, but the 2035 full-electric deadline looms regardless.
Enter Lee Zeldin, who’s already axed roughly $30 billion in what he calls wasteful grants and contracts since taking the EPA helm. An EPA spokesperson hinted at updates to a revamped Clean School Bus Program, suggesting a tighter ship is on the horizon. It’s a move that’s sure to ruffle feathers among green policy enthusiasts but might just save taxpayers from more boondoggles.
For now, Hochul’s mandate looks like it’s stuck in neutral, especially without federal cash to grease the wheels. Rural districts, in particular, are caught between a rock and a hard place—forced to comply with unfunded mandates while grappling with buses that can’t handle a New York winter.
Zeldin’s pause on the $2.3 billion isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a shot across the bow for top-down progressive agendas that ignore practical realities. While the goal of cleaner air is worth pursuing, the execution under the previous administration has been a textbook case of good intentions paving a very expensive road to nowhere. Here’s hoping a reformed program prioritizes kids and common sense over political posturing.