(BIVN) – The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation has announced that 21 alternative energy and low-emission buses will be deployed across the state as a result of federal grant funding.

The “Buses and Bus Facilities” and “Low or No Emission” grants under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will total $35 million.

According to the Hawaiʻi DOT:

The County of Hawaiʻi will procure six (6) fuel cell electric buses and supporting hydrogen charging infrastructure, as well as capital elements of the Hawaiʻi County Transit and Multi-Modal Transportation Master Plan which includes improvements to bus stops and shelters, transit hub design, and zero emissions infrastructure.

The counties of Kauaʻi and Maui will each procure (4) battery electric buses, while Maui will also procure three (3) commuter and four (4) microtransit-type buses.

“Congratulations to the three counties of Kauai, Hawaii Island, and Maui. These competitive grants will benefit many thousands of residents and visitors to those islands,” said Jade Butay, Director of Hawaii Department of Transportation.

According to a HDOT news release:

The Federal Transit Administration’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program supports transit agencies in buying and rehabilitating buses and vans and building bus maintenance facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides nearly $2 billion over five years for the program. For the Fiscal Year 2022, approximately $550 million for grants was available under this program.

FTA’s Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program makes funding available to help transit agencies buy or lease U.S.-built low- or no-emission vehicles, including related equipment or facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $5.5 billion over five years for the Low-No Program – more than six times greater than the previous five years of funding. For Fiscal Year 2022, approximately $1.1 billion was available for grants under this program.

“This new federal funding will make it easier for people to get to where they need to go while making our roads cleaner and quieter,” said U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing. “Improving our public transit system with electric buses means that we can provide affordable transportation while reducing our carbon footprint.”

The Honolulu Department of Transportation Services will also receive $20 million in new funding to buy battery electric buses.