<b>IN 2022, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED</b> <b>LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHED A</b> <b>DEADLINE FOR THE STATE TO</b> <b>TRANSITION TO ZERO EMISSION</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES.</b> <b>SUPPORTERS SAY THESE EFFORTS</b> <b>WILL HELP REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS</b> <b>EMISSIONS AND IMPROVE AIR</b> <b>QUALITY.</b> <b>UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL BOND</b> <b>ACT, FUNDING WAS MADE AVAILABLE</b> <b>TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE</b> <b>STATE TO HELP WITH THE</b> <b>TRANSITION, WHICH CRITICS SAY</b> <b>CAN BE COSTLY.</b> <b>WE SPOKE WITH ADAM RUDER AT</b> <b>NYSERDA, ABOUT THE WORK BEING</b> <b>DONE TO REACH THIS GOAL.</b> <b>HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.</b> <b>>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR</b> <b>JOINING US TODAY, ADAM.</b> <b>>> MY PLEASURE.</b> <b>>> AND TO SET OUT, CAN YOU HELP</b> <b>US UNPACK THE FUNDING THAT WAS</b> <b>SECURED FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL</b> <b>BOND ACT?</b> <b>>> SURE.

SO NEW YORK STATE HAS</b> <b>SET A TARGET OF 100% OF ALL NEW</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES PURCHASED TO BE</b> <b>ZERO EMISSION BY 2027.</b> <b>AND ALL SCHOOL BUSES ON THE ROAD</b> <b>TO BE ZERO EMISSION BY 2035.</b> <b>WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY SCHOOL</b> <b>BUS ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES COST</b> <b>MORE THAN DIESEL EQUIVALENCE,</b> <b>BUT TO HELP WITH COVERING THAT</b> <b>COST, WE'VE APPROVED $500</b> <b>MILLION THROUGH GOVERNOR</b> <b>HOCHUL'S ENVIRONMENTAL BOND ACT,</b> <b>THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2022.</b> <b>THAT IS GOING EXCLUSIVELY TO</b> <b>ELECTRIFYING SCHOOL BUSES, TO</b> <b>REDUCE THE COST TO SCHOOLS AND</b> <b>TAXPAYERS OF BUYING ELECTRIC</b> <b>BUSES AND THE CHARGING</b> <b>INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED TO</b> <b>FUEL THEM.</b> <b>>> AND WE'RE ABOUT TWO AND A</b> <b>HALF, THREE YEARS TO 2027, SO</b> <b>ARE WE ON TRACK TO MEETING THAT</b> <b>BENCHMARK?</b> <b>>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO</b> <b>SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS THE STATE</b> <b>AND HELPING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE</b> <b>STATE GETTING TOWARDS THIS GOAL.</b> <b>AND SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS,</b> <b>THE FIRST STEP, REALLY, IS FOR</b> <b>SCHOOLS TO HELP DEVELOP TO</b> <b>DEVELOP AN ELECTRIFICATION PLAN.</b> <b>UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT'S GOING TO</b> <b>TAKE FOR THEIR SCHOOL BUSES TO</b> <b>ELECTRIFY, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR</b> <b>THE ROUTES THAT DRIVE, WHAT IT</b> <b>MEANS FOR THE LOGISTICS, WHAT</b> <b>TECHNOLOGIES ARE GOING TO WORK</b> <b>FOR THE SCHOOLS.</b> <b>WHAT TYPE WHETHER THEY NEED</b> <b>POWER UPGRADES AT THEIR DEPOT,</b> <b>SO WE'RE WORKING WITH WELL OVER</b> <b>100 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALREADY ON</b> <b>THESE ELECTRIFICATION PLANS AND</b> <b>WE ENCOURAGE ALL SCHOOLS TO COME</b> <b>TO NYSERDA TO GET HELP WITH</b> <b>THIS, WE HAVE MONEY AND CAN PAY</b> <b>UP TO 100% OF THE COST OF THESE</b> <b>STUDIES.</b> <b>THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.</b> <b>AND SO AS I SAID, A NUMBER OF</b> <b>SCHOOL DISTRICTS, LARGE PORTION</b> <b>OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE</b> <b>STATE ARE ALREADY DOING THIS.</b> <b>WE ALSO HAVE SEEN DOZENS OF</b> <b>SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE TAKING</b> <b>THE FIRST STEP AND BUYING THEIR</b> <b>FIRST FEW ELECTRIC BUSES.</b> <b>THAT COULD BE THROUGH OUR</b> <b>PROGRAM, AND WE'VE SEEN A FEW</b> <b>DOZEN SCHOOLS ALREADY APPLY</b> <b>SINCE OUR PROGRAM OPENED IN JUST</b> <b>AFTER THANKSGIVING LAST YEAR.</b> <b>AND ALSO, THROUGH THE FEDERAL</b> <b>MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE THROUGH</b> <b>THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION</b> <b>AGENCY.</b> <b>THE CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM</b> <b>WE'VE ALSO SEEN DOZENS OF</b> <b>SCHOOLS THAT ARE MAKING TAKING</b> <b>THESE FIRST STEPS IN TRYING TO</b> <b>GET FUNDING THROUGH THAT</b> <b>PROGRAM.</b> <b>SO BETWEEN ALL OF THESE ACTIONS,</b> <b>WE SEE SCHOOLS STARTING THE</b> <b>PROCESS AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT</b> <b>WE WANT TO SEE AT THIS POINT.</b> <b>WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T NEED TO</b> <b>GET TO 100% TOMORROW.</b> <b>>> RIGHT.</b> <b>>> BUT BY TAKING THESE FIRST</b> <b>ACTIONS WE THINK SCHOOLS WILL BE</b> <b>PREPARED AND WILL AN</b> <b>UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE BUSES</b> <b>WORK, WHAT SOME OF THE CHANGES</b> <b>MIGHT BE WITH THE BUSES, WHAT</b> <b>BUS ROUTES THEY'RE GOING TO WORK</b> <b>ON INITIALLY, AND MAYBE WHICH</b> <b>ONES THEY MIGHT WANT TO WAIT</b> <b>UNTIL A LITTLE LATER TOWARDS</b> <b>2035 TO ELECTRIFY.</b> <b>BUT GETTING A SENSE OF HOW THIS</b> <b>IS GOING TO WORK, HOW THE BUSES</b> <b>WORK, HOW THE TECHNOLOGY WORKS,</b> <b>MAKING SURE THAT YOUR MECHANICS</b> <b>UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK AND THE</b> <b>BUS DRIVERS KNOW HOW THEY WORK.</b> <b>THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST STEP.</b> <b>AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF</b> <b>SCHOOLS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.</b> <b>>> AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HAS</b> <b>BEEN THE COST OF PURCHASING</b> <b>ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES, THERE HAS</b> <b>BEEN A LOT OF CONCERN BECAUSE IT</b> <b>IS VERY COSTLY.</b> <b>SO ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO</b> <b>MITIGATE THAT CHALLENGE OR ANY</b> <b>PLANS TO HELP SECURE ADDITIONAL</b> <b>FUNDING?</b> <b>>> THROUGH NYSERDA'S NEW YORK</b> <b>SCHOOL BUS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WE</b> <b>CAN COVER UP TO 100% OF THE</b> <b>DIFFERENCE IN THE COST BETWEEN A</b> <b>DIESEL BUS AND AN ELECTRIC BUS.</b> <b>AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY</b> <b>IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT</b> <b>THE IMPACT OF THIS TO FALL ON</b> <b>LOCAL TAXPAYERS, WE WANT TO HELP</b> <b>WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE GET</b> <b>STARTED ON THIS PROCESS.</b> <b>AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT IN</b> <b>THESE EARLY DAYS WITH THE</b> <b>MARKET, THE BUSES ARE AFFORDABLE</b> <b>AND A VIABLE OPTION.</b> <b>WE KNOW THAT THE COSTS WILL COME</b> <b>DOWN OVER TIME.</b> <b>THE COST OF BATTERIES IS COMING</b> <b>DOWN AND AS THE VEHICLE</b> <b>MANUFACTURERS RAMP UP PRODUCTION</b> <b>AND THESE BECOME MORE COMMON,</b> <b>THERE WILL BE ECONOMIES OF SCALE</b> <b>AND THE COST WILL COME DOWN.</b> <b>SO WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON</b> <b>HELPING PEOPLE GET THESE FIRST</b> <b>FEW BUSES INTO THEIR FLEET, YOU</b> <b>KNOW, FIGURE THEM OUT, AND</b> <b>COVERING COVERING THE DIFFERENCE</b> <b>IN COST AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.</b> <b>AS I SAID, WE ALSO OFFER MONEY</b> <b>TO COVER THE CHARGING</b> <b>INFRASTRUCTURE.</b> <b>AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER</b> <b>PROGRAMS LIKE THROUGH THE</b> <b>ELECTRIC UTILITIES, WHERE THE</b> <b>ELECTRIC UTILITIES CAN HELP TO</b> <b>COVER SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL</b> <b>UPGRADE COSTS THAT ARE REQUIRED.</b> <b>OR MAY BE REQUIRED.</b> <b>AS BUSES ARE ELECTRIFIED AND YOU</b> <b>MIGHT NEED MORE POWER AT YOUR</b> <b>BUS GARAGE.</b> <b>>> SOME OF THE REPUBLICAN</b> <b>LAWMAKERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY</b> <b>WANT TO PUSH BACK THE DEADLINE</b> <b>FROM 2027 TO 2045, AND INSTEAD,</b> <b>IMPLEMENT A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO</b> <b>DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF</b> <b>ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES SO WHAT IS</b> <b>YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT COURSE OF</b> <b>ACTION?</b> <b>>> SO LAST YEAR NYSERDA RELEASED</b> <b>AN ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS ROADMAP,</b> <b>WHICH WHERE WE TRIED TO REALLY</b> <b>IDENTIFY WHAT WHERE THE MARKET</b> <b>IS NOW AND WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN TO</b> <b>ACHIEVE THE GOALS THAT THE STATE</b> <b>HAS SET.</b> <b>WE THINK THAT THAT LAYS OUT A</b> <b>GOOD PLAN AND WE'RE NOW ACTING</b> <b>ON THAT PLAN.</b> <b>AS I MENTIONED, MANY OF MANY</b> <b>SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ALREADY</b> <b>DOING FEASIBILITY PLANS TO HELP</b> <b>THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S GOING</b> <b>TO TAKE TO ELECTRIFY THEIR</b> <b>FLEETS, SO WE HAVE THE MONEY</b> <b>AVAILABLE FOR ALL SCHOOL</b> <b>DISTRICTS IN THE STATE TO DO</b> <b>THIS.</b> <b>WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO</b> <b>IT.</b> <b>AND THE PLANNING PROCESS REALLY</b> <b>ONLY TAKES A FEW MONTHS TO</b> <b>DEVELOP THIS PLAN.</b> <b>WE THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY</b> <b>WHERE PEOPLE SHOULD BE FOCUSING</b> <b>RIGHT NOW.</b> <b>>> AND DO YOU THINK AWARENESS IS</b> <b>A CONCERN, ARE THERE ANY PLANS</b> <b>TO IMPLEMENT AN AWARENESS</b> <b>INITIATIVE TO HELP GARNER MORE</b> <b>SUPPORT FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES ACROSS THE STATE?</b> <b>>> AWARENESS IS A BIG CHALLENGE,</b> <b>BECAUSE WITH ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY,</b> <b>YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONCERNS</b> <b>ABOUT THE UNKNOWN.</b> <b>AND SO WE WANT TO HELP BE OUT</b> <b>THERE, HELPING NOT JUST THE</b> <b>SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC</b> <b>UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY.</b> <b>AND UNDERSTAND WHAT</b> <b>OPPORTUNITIES IT BRINGS.</b> <b>WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO SCHOOLS</b> <b>ACROSS THE STATE AT BOTH THE</b> <b>TRANSPORTATION DIRECTORS AT THE</b> <b>SCHOOLS, THE SUPERINTENDENTS,</b> <b>THE BUSINESS OFFICIALS, REALLY</b> <b>ALL OF THE WE'VE TRIED TO REACH</b> <b>ALL OF THE KEY DECISION MAKERS</b> <b>AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS,</b> <b>INCLUDING THE SCHOOL BOARDS, WHO</b> <b>PLAY A KEY ROLE AS WELL, AND</b> <b>BRING FACTUAL UNBIASSED</b> <b>INFORMATION TO THEM.</b> <b>INCLUDING WHERE SOME OF THE</b> <b>CHALLENGES REMAIN, YOU KNOW, WE</b> <b>THINK THIS WORKS FOR A LOT OF</b> <b>FOLKS AND WORKS FOR DISTRICTS</b> <b>ACROSS THE STATE.</b> <b>BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU DON'T</b> <b>USE THIS FOR THE HARDEST TO</b> <b>ELECTRIFY CASES YET AND YOU</b> <b>FOCUS ON WHERE IS GOING TO BE</b> <b>THE EASIEST, BUT ALL OF THAT IS</b> <b>ABOUT AWARENESS.</b> <b>>> UH HUH.</b> <b>>> SIMILARLY FOR THE GENERAL</b> <b>PUBLIC, WE ARE EAGER TO REACH</b> <b>EVERYONE AND THROUGH, ONE OF THE</b> <b>WAYS THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IS</b> <b>THROUGH THE ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS</b> <b>GUIDE BOOK THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED</b> <b>AND THIS IS REALLY HANDS ON,</b> <b>USER FRIENDLY MATERIALS, THAT</b> <b>EXPLAINS SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES, ELECTRIC SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES, IT EXPLAINS HOW TO BRING</b> <b>THEM INTO YOUR OPERATIONS AND IT</b> <b>REALLY TRIES TO GET AT THE</b> <b>TYPICAL QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE</b> <b>HAVE WHEN TRYING TO BRING</b> <b>ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES INTO THEIR</b> <b>FLEET.</b> <b>TO BE A BIT OF A ONE STOP SHOP</b> <b>FOR INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE</b> <b>AND PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE FOR</b> <b>ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TRY THIS.</b> <b>>> FROM YOUR PURVIEW, IS THERE</b> <b>ANYTHING THAT THE STATE OR</b> <b>LAWMAKERS COULD BE DOING TO HELP</b> <b>GARNER MORE SUPPORT FROM NEW</b> <b>YORKERS?</b> <b>>> THE KEY THING THAT WE'RE</b> <b>REALLY FOCUSED ON IS GETTING</b> <b>INFORMATION OUT THERE AND</b> <b>GETTING FACTUAL INFORMATION OUT</b> <b>THERE.</b> <b>WE THINK THAT'S REALLY THE KEY</b> <b>RIGHT NOW.</b> <b>YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF</b> <b>MONEY OUT THERE AND, YOU KNOW,</b> <b>$500 MILLION IS GOING TO REALLY</b> <b>BE ENOUGH TO GET STARTED ACROSS</b> <b>THE STATE ON THIS TRANSITION.</b> <b>BUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS</b> <b>ON THE SAME PAGE AND UNDERSTANDS</b> <b>THE OPPORTUNITIES AND</b> <b>UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES, YOU</b> <b>KNOW, IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE</b> <b>BIGGEST NEXT STEP.</b> <b>>> AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ANY</b> <b>NEW YORKER THAT WAS RELUCTANT TO</b> <b>USING ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES, ARE</b> <b>THERE ANY WAYS TO HELP</b> <b>INCENTIVIZE THEM?</b> <b>>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A</b> <b>LOT OF BENEFITS TO ELECTRIC</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES.</b> <b>AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A, YOU</b> <b>KNOW, REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES.</b> <b>IT'S ALSO ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS</b> <b>AND SAFETY BENEFITS AND ECONOMIC</b> <b>BENEFITS.</b> <b>HEALTH BENEFITS STANDPOINT,</b> <b>EVERY, YOU KNOW, DIESEL BUSES</b> <b>PUT OUT A LOT OF LOCAL POLLUTION</b> <b>THAT ESPECIALLY CAN GET SUCKED</b> <b>BACK INTO THE BUS AND MAKE THE</b> <b>AIR ON THE BUS MORE HARMFUL FOR</b> <b>STUDENTS TO BREATHE.</b> <b>IT CAN LEAD TO INCREASED ASTHMA</b> <b>RATES, AND OTHER LONG TERM</b> <b>HEALTH CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS.</b> <b>SO ELIMINATING THAT IS GOING TO</b> <b>BE A MAJOR BENEFIT OF ELECTRIC</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES, BEYOND THE CLIMATE</b> <b>BENEFITS AND ENERGY BENEFITS.</b> <b>THERE'S ALSO ELECTRIC SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES ARE A LOT QUIETER THAN</b> <b>DIESEL BUSES.</b> <b>SO.</b> <b>>> UH HUH.</b> <b>>> WHAT WE'VE HEARD REPEATEDLY</b> <b>FROM SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS THAT</b> <b>DRIVE THEM IS THAT THEY SEE THIS</b> <b>AS A GREAT SAFETY BENEFIT TO</b> <b>MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN HEAR</b> <b>INSTANCES THAT ARE HAPPENING OR</b> <b>STARTING ON THE BUS BEFORE THEY</b> <b>CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL, THEY CAN</b> <b>HAVE MORE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON</b> <b>THE ROAD THAN ON A DIESEL BUS.</b> <b>SO WE'VE SEEN DRIVERS REALLY</b> <b>LOVE THIS FROM A SAFETY</b> <b>STANDPOINT.</b> <b>AND THEN ALSO FROM AN ECONOMIC</b> <b>STANDPOINT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO</b> <b>RECOGNIZE THAT WITH THE WHILE</b> <b>THE UP FRONT COSTS OF SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES, TODAY, IS HIGH, IT IS</b> <b>COMING DOWN, BUT THERE ARE A LOT</b> <b>OF OPERATIONAL SAVINGS.</b> <b>IT'S CHEAPER TO DRIVE THEM ON A</b> <b>DAY BY DAY BASIS AND THEY'RE</b> <b>LOWER MAINTENANCE, SO WE SEE</b> <b>SCHOOLS SAVING MONEY OVER TIME</b> <b>AS THEY SWITCH TO ELECTRIC</b> <b>BUSES.</b> <b>>> AND APART FROM ELECTRIC</b> <b>SCHOOL BUSES, WHAT ARE SOME</b> <b>OTHER AREAS THAT YOU'RE HOPING</b> <b>TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS</b> <b>EMISSIONS.</b> <b>>> THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IS</b> <b>ONE OF THE BIGGEST EMITTERS OF</b> <b>GREENHOUSE GASES IN NEW YORK</b> <b>STATE.</b> <b>AND WE ARE WORKING ON NOT JUST</b> <b>ELECTRIFYING THE TRANSPORTATION,</b> <b>ALTHOUGH WE ARE WORKING ON</b> <b>ELECTRIFYING CARS AND TRUCKS AND</b> <b>TRANSIT BUSES AS WELL, BUT WE'RE</b> <b>ALSO WORKING ON EXPANDING ACCESS</b> <b>TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION,</b> <b>PROVIDING MORE MOBILITY OPTIONS</b> <b>AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE</b> <b>TO CHOOSE LOW CARBON</b> <b>TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, LIKE</b> <b>BIKING, OR WALKING OR TAKING THE</b> <b>BUS OR, YOU KNOW, AND WE</b> <b>RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS REALLY</b> <b>IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN LOWER</b> <b>INCOME COMMUNITIES WHERE IT'S</b> <b>ALWAYS REALLY EXPENSIVE TO OWN A</b> <b>CAR ACROSS THE STATE.</b> <b>AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE</b> <b>HAVE GOOD, RELIABLE AND OTHER</b> <b>LOW CARBON OPTIONS IS GOING TO</b> <b>BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS</b> <b>BROADER MISSION.</b> <b>>> WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE</b> <b>A LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK AHEAD,</b> <b>BUT WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US</b> <b>HERE TODAY.</b> <b>UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE</b> <b>TIME WE HAVE FOR NOW, BUT THANK</b> <b>YOU VERY MUCH.</b> <b>>> IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE.</b> <b>>> AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH</b> <b>ADAM RUDER, DIRECTOR OF CLEAN</b> <b>TRANSPORTATION FOR THE NEW YORK</b> <b>STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND</b> <b>DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.</b> <b>>> AND WE'LL BRING YOU UPDATES</b> <b>ON THE PROGRESS BEING MADE TO</b> <b>TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC SCHOOL</b> <b>BUSES IN THE COMING YEARS, RIGHT</b> <b>HERE ON THE SHOW.</b> <b>>> FOR MORE INFORMATION AND</b> <b>RESOURCES AROUND CLIMATE</b> <b>INITIATIVES IN THE STATE, YOU</b> <b>CAN ALSO VISIT OUR WEBSITE.</b> <b>AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.</b>