NEDROW, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A group of Central New York lawmakers is pushing back on the state’s electric school bus mandate, saying some districts may not be ready to meet the requirements.

Under the law passed in the 2022-2023 state budget, all new school buses purchased in New York must be zero-emission by 2027, and all buses on the road must be electric by 2035.

State Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-53) is introducing a bill that would allow school districts to apply for a waiver or opt out of the mandate entirely. Griffo says this mandate is an unacceptable policy because there are real reliability and affordability issues for school districts.

The proposal comes after districts across the state raised concerns about cost, infrastructure and reliability.

Onondaga Central School District Superintendent Rob Price said he believes the mandate will drill a hole even deeper into taxpayers’ wallets, saying, “It’s not comparable to an electric vehicle that you or I buy for ourselves — it’s about 15% more than a combustion engine car — the price comparison is too far off.”

According to Price, a traditional diesel school bus can cost around $170,000. Electric buses, however, can run close to $500,000 each. For districts operating large fleets, that difference can quickly add up to millions of dollars.

There are also concerns about how electric buses would perform in Central New York’s climate, particularly on long routes and during the cold winter months.

“Drivers are concerned about potential delay or not being able to pick them up if and when the electric buses fail because of winter temperatures that we know are a major factor,” said Price.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the state’s energy efficiency agency, said in a page on the state’s website on electric school buses that districts can get funding and incentives for the vehicles.

“New Yorkers overwhelmingly passed the Environmental Bond Act in November 2022, which includes $500 million to support the transition to zero-emission school buses,” the authority said. “And many additional sources of funding, including from the utilities, are available to help school districts.”

The authority also argued there are health benefits to using electric buses over their fossil fuel counterparts. Diesel- and gasoline-powered engines release substantial amounts of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which are all associated with chronic health conditions, the authority said.

While idling, diesel buses let out emissions that can enter the vehicle and impact students and drivers’ air quality, the authority said, adding that those emissions “affect communities located near school bus depots and bus routes.”

“Electric school buses produce zero tailpipe emissions—ensuring cleaner air for our kids as they travel to and from school,” the authority said. “The results are real: moving New York State’s entire vehicle fleet to zero-emission transportation would result in up to 159,000 avoided asthma attacks statewide, annually, according to the American Lung Association.”

The proposal would still need to be approved by the state legislature before any changes could be made.