The Bemus Point Central School District hosted an electric bus demonstration at its bus garage in 2024. The district has been awarded $400,000 in funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Rebate Program to purchase two electric school buses, with the district now asking taxpayers for a second time to approve the project. Submitted photo

BEMUS POINT — The Bemus Point Central School District is pursuing an extension for an Environmental Protection Agency grant that would provide funding to help meet New York state’s mandate to transition to an all-electric school bus fleet by 2035.

The district has scheduled a public hearing prior to the Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 10, at 6 p.m. in the Maple Grove Jr./Sr. High School cafeteria, in anticipation of receiving an extension from the EPA. Residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about the benefits and logistics of the project. For more information, please visit bemusptcsd.org.

The grant would pay 90% of the upgrades needed to the district’s bus garage to accommodate electric vehicles and cover the purchase of two electric buses. District officials say the initiative comes at no additional cost to local taxpayers.

The district’s efforts follow a September vote in which residents rejected a $236,000 Bond Anticipation Note (BAN) needed to accept the rebates awarded. Since then, the district has been able to verify that rebates tied to the EPA Clean School Bus Program through National Grid would cover $2.25 million of the cost of upgrading the infrastructure to the bus garage. The total amount of funding the district would be eligible for is more than $3 million, reducing the local financial burden.

“This is not a choice for us,” said Joseph Reyda, Bemus Point Central School District superintendent. “New York state has mandated that all school buses purchased after 2027 must be electric, and all fleets must be fully electric by 2035. Even so, given the funding available, moving forward with these two buses and the infrastructure upgrades is in the district’s best interest — even if the state were to reverse the mandate. With nearly all costs covered through grants and rebates, we’re making necessary improvements without additional taxes to our community.”

The district has submitted a formal request for the EPA grant extension, with the goal of holding a second community vote, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, from 2 to 8 p.m. in the Maple Grove Jr./Sr. High School STEAM Room, for the approval to purchase two electric buses utilizing a $236,000 BAN.

“Our focus is on ensuring that we are prepared for the future while minimizing costs to taxpayers,” said Holly Griffith, Bemus Point Central School District School business executive. “Even if the state’s mandate were lifted tomorrow, this is an investment that makes financial and operational sense for our district.”

Upgrading the bus garage includes updating the electrical supply and transmission lines leading to the facility, ensuring it can support future charging stations should the district have to continue transitioning to an all-electric fleet. Currently, the garage can handle only two charging stations. District officials say future-proofing the facility now will position the district to meet state requirements while saving costs over time.

In total, the district would receive more than $884,000 in state and federal rebates, incentives and tax credits at the start of the process. These funding opportunities significantly reduce the financial burden on the district and its taxpayers.

“While some taxpayers may not agree with accepting state rebates or grant funding, it’s important to understand that if we don’t secure these funds for our district, they will simply go to another community elsewhere,” Reyda said. “This funding provides us with a unique opportunity to begin to meet state requirements and upgrade our infrastructure without placing additional financial burdens on our residents.”