EBS STAFF
The Big Sky School District is on its way toward securing its first electric school bus. A May 29 press release from Big Sky Sustainability Network Organization (SNO) stated that BSSD is a grant recipient of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program.
The news comes after a successful application for the program by Students for SNO, a group founded by Lone Peak High School juniors Libby Coltea, Frieda Fabozzi and Addy Malinowski. In January, Lizzie Peyton, director of community sustainability for SNO, and community member Barbara Rowley mentored the students as they presented the benefits of electric buses to the school board.
Upon the board’s approval, BSSD will welcome its first electric bus.
“We are thrilled that our community will benefit from cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions,
thanks to the efforts of these motivated students,” Peyton stated in the release. “Their advocacy and determination have not only been integral to secure this funding but have also set a powerful example of youth leadership in climate action.”
The CSB Rebate Program is part of a $5 billion federal initiative to incorporate electric school buses and reduce emissions. The program makes electric buses accessible to school districts across the country.
According to the release, an electric bus would result in health improvements, environmental benefits and economic savings. By December 2024, the bus will begin transporting 78 Big Sky students.
“This initiative aligns with similar efforts in other high-altitude, cold-climate communities, demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of electric buses in challenging conditions,” the release stated.
