Long Island lawmakers mount opposition to state's plan on electric school buses
LEVITTOWN, N.Y. -- Local leaders on Long Island are pushing back against a state plan that would require electric school buses.
The state's 2022-23 budget set a mandate that requires all new buses to be zero-emission by 2027, and the entire fleet to be zero-emission by 2035.
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From the Levittown Schools bus yard on Sunday, senators said the plan raises serious financial and safety concerns, including the higher cost of the electric buses.
"Encouraging the governor, encouraging the state Legislature to pump the brakes on this electric bus mandate until the technology catches up and until we have an actual plan to be able to implement this," state Sen. Steve Rhoads said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul said, in part, "Old school buses are putting children's health at risk, spewing toxic fumes and pollutants in the air that have negative health impacts."
The spokesperson added that the state is using $500 million from the Environmental Bond Act.