As Congress contemplates how to provide economic relief and create desperately needed employment opportunities for millions of Americans suffering as a result of the economic havoc spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers have the chance to ensure that we build back better, in ways that create millions of well-paying jobs, spur billions in economic growth, and advance a low-carbon economy. Research shows that smart climate action is not only good for but essential to economic growth. These objectives must go hand in hand.
One way Congress could immediately create good jobs while simultaneously advancing a cleaner economy is to expand Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing capacity and accelerate the replacement of diesel buses with electric buses. Federal grants to school districts and transit agencies for electric bus purchases and related charging infrastructure, as well as providing grants and loans to accelerate the electric vehicle manufacturing industry, would infuse funding to school districts and cities and simultaneously improve public health and create new manufacturing jobs.