WVCSD EdTalk: January 1, 2025
Balancing Clean Energy Goals with Practical Solutions
In April 2024, the Warwick Valley Board of Education and I sent advocacy letters to Assembly Members Karl Brabenec and Brian Maher, as well as Senator James Skoufis, expressing our deep concerns regarding a law enacted as part of the 2022-23 state budget. This law mandates that school districts exclusively purchase zero-emission buses beginning July 1, 2027, and operate only zero-emission buses by July 1, 2035. While we fully support efforts to transition to clean energy alternatives, it is imperative that such goals are implemented with a practical and realistic approach.
There are financial and operational concerns for school districts. The transition to electric buses presents significant financial and logistical challenges. Zero-emission buses currently cost approximately three times more than traditional internal combustion engine buses, and their operation remains more expensive due to the lack of discounted electricity rates for off-peak charging. Early projections anticipated cost parity by 2027; however, it is now clear this will not occur until 2030 or beyond. By comparison, California’s mandate allows for a 2035 deadline to begin exclusive purchases of zero-emission buses, a timeline that more appropriately reflects affordability trends and market readiness.
Infrastructure costs are another major concern. Installing the charging infrastructure required for a fleet-wide transition is prohibitively expensive, and it remains unclear whether the existing electric grid has sufficient capacity to meet the district’s needs. Warwick Valley Central School District spans 100 square miles and serves a geographically diverse community. Real-world factors such as distance, terrain, and weather conditions pose challenges that manufacturers’ stated ranges of 125-200 miles do not adequately address. Once operational, these buses are likely to fall far short of the advertised ranges due to cold weather, hilly terrain, driver behavior, and battery degradation. Consequently, nearly one-third of our current bus routes would be unserviceable under this mandate without significant fleet expansion – further exacerbating staffing shortages due to the ongoing nationwide bus driver shortage.
The financial burden on our community cannot be overlooked. Due to Warwick’s wealth index, our district receives significantly less state aid than neighboring districts. While Transportation Aid eligibility has been expanded to include electric bus-related expenses, our taxpayers will still shoulder a disproportionately high cost. Budget constraints, compounded by rising inflation, tax cap limitations, and increasing operational expenses, would force us to make severe reductions to educational and extracurricular programming in order to meet this mandate.
There is a need for pragmatic solutions. Warwick Valley Central School District is proud to have all its schools designated as Green Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education – a reflection of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and clean energy initiatives. The New York State Council of Superintendents offers some pragmatic considerations, including:
- State-Funded Feasibility Studies:
Before requiring any district to purchase zero-emission buses, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) should fund independent feasibility studies for each district. These studies must assess:
- Route viability under local conditions, including geography, weather, and battery degradation.
- Grid capacity and infrastructure needs to support charging requirements.
- Flexibility and Exemptions:
Recognize that certain routes may be impractical for zero-emission buses. Districts should be granted exemptions or, alternatively, required to meet a minimum quota of zero-emission buses based on feasibility assessments.
- Provide state financial support to ensure that the cost of zero-emission buses does not exceed the cost of traditional buses.
- Independent Verification of Range:
Require independent third-party verification of electric bus ranges under varying weather and terrain conditions. Currently, manufacturers’ range estimates are unverified and unreliable, leaving districts with significant operational uncertainties. - Price Caps:
Authorize the Office of General Services to establish price caps for zero-emission buses based on size and battery capacity. The current mandate enables manufacturers to inflate prices excessively, placing undue financial pressure on school districts that have no alternative but to comply.
While we fully support the state’s intention to transition toward clean energy, the current law mandating zero-emission buses by 2027 for new purchases and 2035 for full operation is impractical and unsustainable. Without significant revisions to address feasibility, financial burden and operational challenges, districts like Warwick Valley will be forced to sacrifice educational opportunities to fund transportation mandates.
We urge policymakers to revise this legislation to include feasibility studies, operational flexibility, and protections against excessive costs. A balanced, practical approach will allow school districts across New York State to transition to zero-emission transportation without compromising the quality of education or placing an undue financial strain on taxpayers.