By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – In March 2022, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) received the first electric school bus in the State of North Carolina. Now the Cherokee Boys Club (CBC), the EBCI tribal entity that operates the school buses for the Cherokee Central Schools system (CCS), will receive 15 more thanks to federal funding that has been announced. Gov. Roy Cooper made the announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 9 that statewide a total of 114 new buses will be purchased with $26.7 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPS) Clean School Bus Program.
The first electric school bus for Cherokee was the result of a collaboration between CBC and the EBCI Air Quality Program who received a grant from the N.C. Phase I Volkswagen (VW) Mitigation Program in 2021. Katie Tiger, EBCI Air Quality Program supervisor, was instrumental in this process and noted at the time, “It’s a long time coming. A lot of hours were put into it to get it here.”
Read more about how the initiative started here.
CBC is set to receive a total of $5,925,000 for the buses and charging infrastructure.
Donnie Owle, left, Cherokee Boys Club service department manager, and Greg Owle, Cherokee Boys Club general manager, stand in front of one of the electric school buses already in use. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians got the first electric school bus in the State of North Carolina, and now the Cherokee Boys Club, the tribal entity that operates the school buses for the Cherokee Central Schools system, will receive 15 more thanks to federal funding that has been announced. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Gov. Cooper said in a statement on Tuesday, “New funding for electric school buses means protecting the health of children from harmful diesel fumes, cutting carbon emissions, saving money on bus maintenance for tight public school budgets, and creating good jobs in North Carolina. This investment is good for our students, schools, economy, and planet, and I appreciate the Biden Administration for investing in our communities across North Carolina.”
Consuela “Consie” Girty, CCS superintendent, said, “By adding 15 buses, Cherokee Boys Club will increase their total to 21, giving us an entire fleet of electric school buses. This makes us one of the front runners in the state of North Carolina and likely the nation. As Cherokee People, this accomplishment connects to our Cherokee Core Values of educating our children and having a strong connection to the land.”
She added, “CCS is committed to preserving our nation and ensuring our future. The use of the electric school buses demonstrates just that by positively impacting our environment. I am thankful for all of those involved in the attainment of the electric buses and our partnership with the Cherokee Boys Club. Special thanks to Donny Owle and Katie Tiger for all their hard work on this project. I am hopeful we can be a model for other districts who will follow our lead.”
Greg Owle, CBC general manager, commented, “It was amazing. We are kind of in a state of disbelief. But at the same time, we’re glad that it’s happened because, for us, we’ll be one of the first school systems to be able to run an entire fleet of electric school busses. It’s cutting the cost of us having to put diesel fuel in them.”
“We’ll have zero particulates in the air so we can provide a healthier riding environment for our students.”
Each bus is emblazoned with a placard reading Native Electric which is the partnership between the EBCI Air Quality Program and CBC. Owle noted, “We couldn’t have done this by ourselves. The Tribe has been very helpful and proactive in getting us where we need to be and making sure, even with the infrastructure, that we have the money available. We contribute our part, they contribute a huge part, to make sure that we can get our charging stations and all the things put in place.”
Donnie Owle, CBC service department manager, said, “The body is exactly the same as a diesel bus, the body, inside and out. The only difference is that they’re powered by that battery.”
“We’ve done a lot of work. A collaboration between us and the Tribe is what’s got us started working together and getting all the pieces together.”
He noted that the average bus was using around $800 a month in diesel fuel compared to the electric buses which use around $400 a month in electric costs.
Donnie Owle added, “You’ve got to think about your infrastructure on how you’re going to keep it charged. You’ve got to have that design. We were smart enough to plan for these extra busses. When we put this charger in, we planned for 12 more chargers. So, it’s less tearing up the ground and spending money.”
“The plan is coming together now. Hopefully in the near future we will have solar that will take care of the electric bill.”
The buses have added benefits. Donnie Owle said, “Our buses are small power plants themselves so the ambulance service and fire department, police department, if we had a big disaster we could take one of our school buses over and plug it up to the building and give them essential services.”
Greg Owle went on to say, “I’m all for us being able to move forward into the future with being able to help our environment and do as much as we can.”
They both acknowledged other partners in this project along the way including: North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC), Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition, Duke Energy, Carolina Thomas, and Renewable Design Associates.
In addition to the 15 buses to be received by Cherokee Central Schools, the following school systems will receive buses: Durham Public Schools (38), Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (27), Kannapolis City Schools (8), Bertie County (4), Maureen Joy Charter School (4), Emereau Bladed Charter School (3), KIPP Durham College Prep. (3), Cumberland County Schools (2), Granville County Schools (2), KIPP Halifax College Prep. (2), Madison County Public Schools (2), Richmond County Schools (2), Johnston County Schools (1), and Reaching All Minds Academy (1).
At an event in Cherokee in March 2022 celebrating the arrival of the Tribe’s first electric school bus, EPA Administrator Michael Regan commented, “By deploying electric and low-emission school buses, fewer children will face asthma risks and other health problems linked to diesel air pollution. As EPA administrator, and as a parent, there is no higher priority for me than ensuring that all of our children across the country have clean air to breathe. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are leading the way forward in this mission.”
Donnie Owle related that asthma rates are currently being monitored for Cherokee children in relation to this initiative.
