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Thank you President Biden for the Infrastructure Bill - cause the Morning Fax didn’t point that out.

Athens City Schools will be the first school system in Tennessee to receive five Thomas Built Buses SAF-TLINER® C2 Jouley, the state's first all-electric school buses delivered under the EPA Clean School Bus Program. A celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place TODAY, Thursday, August 1st, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. at Athens City Intermediate School, located at 316 McMinn Avenue. The introduction of these electric buses is part of a broader initiative funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $5 billion over five years (FY 2022-2026) through the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. The first funding opportunity in 2022 allocated up to $965 million to nearly 400 schools for bus replacements. The SAF-T-LINER® C2 Jouley Electric School Bus offers significant advantages, including zero emissions at the tailpipe, no noise pollution, and freedom from fossil fuels, resulting in lower operating costs. Key features of the C2 Jouley include: • The lowest and most stable operating cost of any vehicle • Two to three-hour charging time at a DC charging station • Specialized battery packaging for enhanced safety • Up to 149-mile operating range • Built with up to 246 kWh power The transition from diesel-fueled school buses to electric models is expected to significantly reduce emissions, making school transportation more sustainable and eco-friendly. Electric school buses are particularly well-suited for electrification due to their low daily mileage, predictable routes, health benefits for students and the community, and the potential for midday charging and providing power back to the grid during peak times.

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Coalition Calendar: (click on the calendar to get to web page for August.)