H.R. 3347 – GREEN Buses Act

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 3:15 AM UTC

The GREEN Buses Act creates a federal grant program to help public transit agencies acquire or lease zero‑emission buses and improve related facilities. It defines key terms such as zero‑emission bus, eligible area and low‑income community, and sets criteria that agencies must meet to receive funding. The bill also requires that at least 10% of grant money each year go to projects serving predominantly low‑income communities. It mainly affects transit agencies, especially those in nonattainment or maintenance air quality areas, and the communities they serve.

Key Provisions

Renames “Low or No Emission Grants” to “Zero Emission Grants” and updates related language throughout the law
Provides definitions for “zero emission bus,” “zero emission vehicle,” “eligible area” (including nonattainment, maintenance, or states with ZEB transition requirements), and “low‑income community”
Sets grant eligibility: agencies must procure at least 10 zero‑emission buses (or 5 if they operate fewer than 50) or hydrogen buses, and must have a long‑term fleet management plan with conversion goals and a fleet transition study
Requires that no less than 10% of grant funds each fiscal year be allocated to projects serving predominantly low‑income communities
Adds a definition of “maintenance area” to the metropolitan transportation planning provisions

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

May 20, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 19, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

May 19, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Highways and Transit Subcommittee

May 20, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued May 19, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3347

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 19, 2021

Mr. Larsen of Washington (for himself, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Kilmer, and Mr. Gallego) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a program relating to the acquisition or leasing of zero emission buses or bus facility improvements, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Generating Reduced Emissions by Electrifying New Buses Act or the GREEN Buses Act.

2.

Zero emission bus grants

(a)

In general

Section 5339(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the heading by striking Low or no emission grants and inserting Zero emission grants;

(2)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

in subparagraph (B)—

(i)

in clause (i) by striking low or no emission and inserting zero emission;

(ii)

in clause (ii) by striking low or no emission and inserting zero emission;

(iii)

in clause (iii) by striking low or no emission and inserting zero emission;

(iv)

in clause (iv) by striking facilities and related equipment for low or no emission and inserting related equipment for zero emission;

(v)

in clause (v) by striking facilities and related equipment for low or no emission vehicles; and inserting related equipment for zero emission vehicles; or;

(vi)

in clause (vii) by striking low or no emission and inserting zero emission;

(vii)

by striking clause (vi); and

(viii)

by redesignating clause (vii) as clause (vi);

(B)

by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the following:

(D)

the term zero emission bus means a bus that is a zero emission vehicle;

;

(C)

by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the following:

(E)

the term zero emission vehicle means a vehicle used to provide public transportation that produces no carbon dioxide or particulate matter;

;

(D)

in subparagraph (F) by striking and at the end;

(E)

by striking subparagraph (G) and inserting the following:

(G)

the term eligible area means an area that is—

(i)

designated as a nonattainment area for ozone or particulate matter under section 107(d) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7407(d));

(ii)

a maintenance area, as such term is defined in section 5303, for ozone or particulate matter; or

(iii)

in a State that has enacted a statewide zero emission bus transition requirement, as determined by the Secretary; and

; and

(F)

by adding at the end the following:

(H)

the term low-income community means any population census tract if—

(i)

the poverty rate for such tract is at least 20 percent; or

(ii)

in the case of a tract—

(I)

not located within a metropolitan area, the median family income for such tract does not exceed 80 percent of statewide median family income; or

(II)

located within a metropolitan area, the median family income for such tract does not exceed 80 percent of the greater statewide median family income or the metropolitan area median family income.

;

(3)

by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs (7) and (8), respectively; and

(4)

by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:

(5)

Grant eligibility

In awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall make grants to eligible projects relating to the acquisition or leasing of zero emission buses or bus facility improvements—

(A)

that procure—

(i)

at least 10 zero emission buses;

(ii)

if the recipient operates less than 50 buses in peak service, at least 5 zero emission buses; or

(iii)

hydrogen buses;

(B)

for which the recipient’s board of directors has approved a long-term integrated fleet management plan that—

(i)

establishes a goal by a set date to convert the entire bus fleet to zero emission buses; or

(ii)

establishes a goal that within 10 years from the date of approval of such plan the recipient will convert a set percentage of the total bus fleet of such recipient to zero emission buses; and

(C)

for which the recipient has performed a fleet transition study that includes optimal route planning and an analysis of how utility rates may impact the recipient’s operations and maintenance budget.

(6)

Low and Moderate Community Grants

Not less than 10 percent of the amounts made available under this subsection in a fiscal year shall be distributed to projects serving predominantly low-income communities.

.

(b)

Metropolitan transportation planning

Section 5303(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(8)

Maintenance area

The term maintenance area has the meaning given the term in sections 171(2) and 175A of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7501(2); 7505a).

.