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By Beth Stibal |

DeSantis announces more electric buses coming to Florida

Electric Buses
In this Wednesday, May 2, 2018 photo passengers board a bus powered by electricity supplied through overhead wires, in Watertown, Mass. According to a report released by Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, or MASSPIRG, Thursday, May 3, 2018, cities and states across the U.S. should move toward replacing their old, diesel-fueled bus fleets with battery electric-powered buses as another step toward weaning the country off fossil fuels. A MASSPIRG spokesman said Thursday that buses with overhead electrical wires are great where the infrastructure is set up for them. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

(TALLAHASSEE, FLA) — Governor Ron DeSantis says hundreds more electric buses will be rolling through Florida soon.
DeSantis announced yesterday the Department of Environmental Protection is awarding $68 million to 13 counties to buy over 200 electric buses.

“This funding will help lower emissions while also bringing our transit bus fleets to more modern standards,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This is a win-win for air quality and advancing the state’s efforts to bolster growing electric vehicle usage.”

DeSantis says this is another step in the state’s efforts to modernize public transit and reduce air pollutants caused by diesel emissions.
DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton says Florida continues to be a national leader in air quality.

“These projects and others are a result of DEP’s Florida Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, which was created to outline how the state would spend its allotted $166 million from the Volkswagen settlement. The plan focused on constructing new electric vehicle charging stations, procuring electric buses for select school districts and transit agencies, and providing funding for Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) projects.”