Letter from League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area

Bond Act Should Pay for Electric Buses

We read with interest Anthony Scalici’s thoughtful letter to the editor (April 6). Mr. Scalici is a seasoned Cooperstown Central School District School Board member, who has shown a long-term commitment to our local school and is knowledgeable about school finances. The letter was addressed to Senator Oberacker, asking him to do away with New York’s mandate that schools purchase electric school buses.

The mandate requires that beginning in 2027 all new school buses must be zero emissions and all school buses in operation must be electric by 2035. The American Lung Association in New York notes that moving from diesel to clean transportation will result in up to 159,000 avoided asthma attacks while generating $68.2 billion in public health benefits statewide. New York’s 2022-2023 budget supported that commitment toward a healthy environment with funding to help districts transition to all electric buses. Last fall, the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area advocated for the approval of Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which included a substantial investment in a Clean Green Schools initiative, and voters approved it overwhelmingly. They agreed that the health of students riding on school buses is paramount.

With state monies targeted to support the several years’ shift to electric buses, the costs for this worthy effort will not come from schools’ operating finances or transportation budgets and will not have an impact on classroom education, programs, or staffing. Mr. Scalici’s concerns are real, but the transition to electric buses should be funded by the Bond Act. These are still early days for these monies, but we must be vigilant that a fair share of the dollars comes to our local schools.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the lead agency for electric school bus funds, solicited input from school districts and bus contractors, listened to their concerns, and addressed those concerns in initial guidelines. Presently, school districts can apply to NYSERDA for the P-12 Green Schools Initiative, which encourages schools to apply for “Clean Transportation Studies” to help develop fleet transition plans. The program can cover up to 100 percent of the study. The agency has also been mapping bus depots and working with utilities to assess additional demand. Finally, NYSERDA will soon have planning guidebooks for schools and bus contractors, but unfortunately not in time for school districts who are building near-term budgets and long-term capital reserves.

Governor Hochul is holding an educational listening tour on how Bond Act funds are delivered. The tour is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the Bond Act and for the community to weigh in on the draft criteria developed to identify potential projects. The first in-person session will be held May 30 at 1 p.m. at the University at Buffalo. (Visit www.ny.gov/bondact for more information.)

Plan to attend one of the sessions virtually or in person and ask the questions Mr. Scalici has addressed. But, most important, pay attention to whether these Green School funds are finding their way into our communities.

Maureen Murray and Kristin Pullyblank
Co-Presidents of the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area