(The Center Square) - U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján, D-New Mexico, introduced legislation he hopes will expand rural community access to eco-friendly school buses.

The bill would codify the eligibility of clean school bus infrastructure, including electric chargers and propane tanks, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grant Program, according to a press release from his office.

The Senator hopes this will increase rural schools’ confidence when applying for the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program and other initiatives. He also hopes it will make sure the USDA maintains clean school bus infrastructure as a top priority each year.

“Aside from the classroom, students in rural communities spend a large amount of their time commuting to and from school on buses that release harmful emissions. In fact, studies have shown that pollution levels in common school buses can be much worse than it is outside,” Luján said. “To address this, the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program has provided clean school buses to communities in New Mexico and across the country, but more investments are needed to continue protecting students. I’m proud to introduce this legislation that will help expand rural communities’ access to clean buses by supporting the development and installation of much-needed clean bus infrastructure.”

The proposal earned praise from Lake Arthur Municipal Schools superintendent Elisa Begueria. She said the schools need access to funding to ensure they have eco-friendly buses.

“Lake Arthur Municipal Schools fully supports the Community Facilities Program in an effort to complement the EPA program,"  Begueria said. "As rural school districts transition into clean energy buses, it is imperative that the funding available is enough to cover both the buses and the infrastructure. Thank you, Senator Luján, for championing clean energy in our schools."

Harold Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association said the bill would protect children's health by limiting their exposure to diesel exhaust.

“All children deserve to travel to and from school safely," Wimmer said. "Unfortunately, millions of kids are still riding diesel school buses, putting their health at risk. Demand for clean, zero-emission school buses is increasing, thanks, in part, to federal investments, and ensuring that rural communities can access funding for the infrastructure to charge them will help accelerate the transition to healthier transportation options that protect kids’ health."