New Jersey Gives $32 Million to Help Schools Buy Electric Buses and Build Charging Stations
Official: DEP Awards Nearly $32 Million In Grants For Purchases Of Electric School Buses And Public Charging Infrastructure (26/P001)
Reading: The DEP awards $32 million in grants for electric school buses and public charging infrastructure, directly expanding clean energy and transportation electrification policy.
The state is also issuing a drought warning urging residents and businesses to conserve water due to low rainfall and stressed water supplies.
In clear language
New Jersey is awarding nearly $32 million in grants to help school districts purchase electric school buses and install public charging infrastructure across the state. This funding supports the transition away from diesel buses to cleaner electric vehicles. The state is also issuing a drought warning urging residents and businesses to conserve water due to low rainfall and stressed water supplies.
How does this affect you?
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Who does this affect?
- School districts and their students, who will ride in cleaner electric buses instead of diesel vehicles
- Communities where charging stations will be built, gaining new public infrastructure
- Residents and businesses statewide, who are urged to reduce water consumption during the drought
What can you do?
- If you work in or manage a school district, learn about grant eligibility and apply for funding to electrify your bus fleet
- Support local water conservation efforts and reduce your own water use by fixing leaks, shortening showers, and watering lawns less frequently
- Advocate for the installation of EV charging stations in your community
Timeline
- 2026-01-08: Grant awards announced; Drought Warning issued
In the press
NJ Spotlight News covers electric school buses and their grid implications, relevant to New Jersey's $32 million grant program for purchasing electric school buses and building charging infrastructure.
Coverage retrieved automatically from major and NJ outlets. Links go to the original reporting; the summary above draws only on these headlines.
No New Jersey official has a verified action on this policy yet.
Related policies
- DEPSep 23, 2025New Jersey Reaches 250,000 Electric Vehicles on the Road
New Jersey has exceeded 250,000 registered electric vehicles, marking a major milestone in the state's transition to clean transportation. Governor Murphy announced this achievement during Climate Week, highlighting progress toward reducing emissions from the transportation sector. This growth reflects increasing adoption of EVs by New Jersey residents and businesses.
- NJ LegislatureJun 30, 2026New Rules for Electric Vehicle Charging Station Equipment Safety and Approval
This law sets up new safety standards and approval processes for electric vehicle charging equipment in New Jersey while removing some outdated approval requirements. It aims to streamline how charging stations get built and installed while keeping public health and safety protections in place. The bill passed both houses of the state legislature in June 2026.
- NJ LegislatureJun 30, 2026New Standards for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Parking Spaces
New Jersey is creating flexible rules for how and where electric vehicle charging stations and ready-to-charge parking spaces must be built, based on how much power they can deliver. Instead of one-size-fits-all requirements, developers can now choose different ways to meet charging goals depending on the capacity of their equipment. This gives builders and property owners more options while still pushing forward EV infrastructure across the state.
- NJ LegislatureJun 30, 2026Flexible Standards for Building Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
New Jersey is creating flexible rules for how developers can build electric vehicle charging stations and parking spaces ready for charging equipment. Instead of a one-size-fits-all requirement, companies can now choose different ways to meet the standard based on how powerful the chargers are. This law aims to make it easier and more affordable to expand EV charging across the state.