{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2697", "Larsen: $8.86 Million Federal Grant Enables Whatcom Transportation Authority to Continue to Reduce Bus Emissions", "2022-08-11", "2022", "2022-08", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Rick Larsen", "L000560", "larsen.house.gov", "larsen", "https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "BELLINGHAM, WA \u2013 Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced the Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) has been awarded a $8,862,951 federal grant to replace eight aging diesel buses with eight electric buses and to purchase and install bus chargers.\n\n\u201cThis is great news for Whatcom County,\u201d said Larsen, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. \u201cThese critical resources enable WTA to continue to expand its electric bus fleet to reduce carbon emissions and maintenance costs while ensuring a reliable and sustainable transportation option for all.\u201d\n\nWTA Board Chair Michael Lilliquist celebrated the announcement and highlighted how the grant will help WTA significantly reduce carbon emissions and boost bus ridership.\n\n\u201cThis much-needed funding fills a significant gap and could not have come at a better time,\u201d said Lilliquist. \u201cIt will help turn WTA\u2019s long-term plans for cleaner, less-polluting buses into a reality. We\u2019ve already invested in the charging infrastructure, and have a ready power source, trained drivers, and skilled mechanics to handle the new technology. This grant removes the last major hurdle for success. WTA is grateful for the strong and continuous support of Congressman Larsen, and excited about the difference these buses will make for Whatcom County.\u201d\n\nThe grant was made possible by the Federal Transit Administration\u2019s (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program which was authorized by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Larsen supported last year. The IIJA included a provision based on Larsen\u2019s GREEN Buses Act that commits $2.34 billion for low- or no-emission bus grants for bus transit programs.\n\nThe Low or No Emission Vehicle Program awards funding to state and local governments for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, as well as for the acquisition, construction and leasing of required supporting facilities. In March, FTA announced approximately $1.1 billion available for Fiscal Year 2022 grants to help modernize bus fleets and bus facilities nationwide, including to help transit agencies purchase or lease low- or no- emission vehicles. In July, Larsen outlined his support for WTA\u2019s grant application in a letter to Federal Transportation Administrator Nuria Fernandez.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:59:24Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2697"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2179429177194834, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}