Section 70A.15.NEW-002 - [Newly enacted section not yet numbered] [Administration of zero emission school bus grant program - Selection of grant recipients - Distribution of funds - Report](1) The department must administer the zero emission school bus grant program within the clean diesel grant program for buses, infrastructure, and related costs.(2)(a) Appropriations to this grant program are provided solely for grants to transition from fossil-fuel school buses to zero emission vehicles. Eligible uses of grant funds include the planning and acquisition of zero emission school bus vehicles for student transportation, planning, design, and construction of associated fueling and charging infrastructure, including infrastructure to allow the use of zero emission buses in cold weather and other challenging operational conditions, the scrapping of old diesel school buses, and training drivers, mechanics, and facility operations personnel to operate and maintain the zero emission buses and infrastructure.(b) Grant recipients may combine grant funds awarded under this section with any other source of funding in order to secure all funds needed to fully purchase each zero emission vehicle and any associated charging infrastructure.(c) Grants issued under this section are in addition to payments made under the depreciation schedule adopted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. Grants may only be issued until the school bus depreciation schedule established in RCW 28A.160.200 is adjusted to fund the cost of zero emission bus purchases at which time the department must transition the program established in this section to focus solely on electric vehicle charging infrastructure grants.(3) When selecting grant recipients, the department must prioritize, in descending order of priority:(a) School districts currently using school buses manufactured prior to 2007 and serving overburdened communities, including communities of color, rural, and low-income communities, highly impacted by air pollution identified by the department under RCW 70A.65.020(1);(b) If funds remain after reviewing grant applications meeting the criteria of (a) of this subsection, school districts serving overburdened communities, including communities of color, rural, and low-income communities, highly impacted by air pollution identified by the department under RCW 70A.65.020(1);(c) If funds remain after reviewing grant applications meeting the criteria of (a) and (b) of this subsection, the replacement of school buses manufactured prior to 2007; and(d) If funds remain after reviewing grant applications meeting the criteria of (a), (b), or (c) of this subsection, to applicants that demonstrate an unsuccessful application to receive federal funding for zero emission school bus purposes prior to January 1, 2024.(4) The department must distribute no less than 90 percent of the funds appropriated under this section to grant recipients. Amounts retained by the department may only be used as follows: (a) Up to three and one-half percent of funds appropriated under this section for administering the grant program; and(b) Up to six and one-half percent of funds appropriated under this section to provide technical assistance to grant applicants including, but not limited to, assistance in evaluating charging infrastructure and equipment and in coordinating with electric utility service adequacy.(5) The department must provide notice of a grant award decision to the utility providing electrical service to the grant recipient.(6) By June 1, 2025, the department in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction must submit a report to the governor and the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the legislature providing an update on the status of implementation of the grant program under this section and a summary of recommendations and implementation considerations for transitioning the zero emission school bus grant program to the competitive school bus vehicle depreciation schedule established in RCW 28A.160.200.(7) For the purposes of this section, "zero emission vehicles" means a vehicle that produces zero exhaust emission of any air pollutant and any greenhouse gas other than water vapor.Added by 2024 c 345,§ 2, eff. 6/6/2024.