Northern Arizona Communities, School Districts Advance Sustainability Initiatives
Cities, towns and school districts across Yavapai County are making strides in sustainability, incorporating electric buses, solar energy and conservation programs into their operations.
Clarkdale-Jerome School District (CJSD) Superintendent Matt Schumacher said staff and students appreciate the district’s $395,000 electric school bus, purchased about a year ago with Inflation Reduction Act funds. Now, CJSD is applying for another grant to add a second electric bus to its fleet.
CJSD is the only school district in Yavapai County with an electric school bus, and its charging station is located next to the bus barn.
“Kids love it because it sounds like a spaceship, and we love it because it has no emissions,” Schumacher said. “There are no loud noises and no rattling sounds like regular buses.”
The bus, which comes with an eight-year warranty, is expected to pay for itself in three to four years through savings on fuel and maintenance.
“This shows that we’re forward-thinking,” Schumacher said, adding that Inflation Reduction Act funds also required the district to retire an old bus. “I let other school districts know what a blessing this has been for us.”
Camp Verde Unified School District has embraced sustainability for more than a decade. Superintendent Cindy Daniels said all four district schools have had solar panel-covered parking lots since 2012.
“The solar panels help reduce the annual cost of electricity and reduce dependence on carbon-based energy,” Daniels said. “We receive periodic checks for electricity generated, which help offset our costs.”
Similarly, the Town of Chino Valley recently completed a solar roof parking lot for the police department and town hall.
Other municipalities are taking action for sustainability, as well. Sedona has electric buses in its shuttle fleet, and Yavapai Regional Transit Manager Tom Stultz said the county hopes to introduce an electric bus to its fleet within the next year.
Meanwhile, the City of Prescott is forming a Sustainability Advisory Committee to guide the City Council on environmental policies. And, six Arizona mayors have joined Climate Mayors, a national coalition of 350 mayors committed to addressing climate change at the local level. Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow and Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett represent their cities in the initiative. QCBN
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