Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations

Osia, Uchenna; Cutts, Bethany B.; Pullen Fedinick, Kristi; Boone, Kofi

doi:10.3390/ijerph22081232

Open AccessArticle

Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations

by

Uchenna Osia

¹,

Bethany B. Cutts

^1,2,*

,

Kristi Pullen Fedinick

³

and

Kofi Boone

⁴

¹

Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

²

Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

³

Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA

⁴

Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(8), 1232; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081232

Submission received: 23 June 2025 / Revised: 31 July 2025 / Accepted: 31 July 2025 / Published: 7 August 2025

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Abstract

This study evaluates the 2022 rollout of the Clean School Bus Rebate Program (CSBRP) to understand how eligibility rules and data practices shape funding distribution across communities with varying needs. We ask whether more accurate maps can improve environmental funding outcomes or whether challenges stem from how agencies define and apply eligibility criteria. Using logistic regression and dasymetric mapping, we find that prioritization criteria helped direct funds to underserved areas, but reliance on school district boundaries introduced inconsistencies that affected program reach. Including charter schools as independent applicants increased competition and sometimes diverted funds from larger public systems serving more. Our geospatial analysis shows that while refined mapping approaches improve resource targeting and reduce goal-outcome mismatches, agency discretion and administrative rules remain key factors in ensuring equitable outcomes.

Keywords: environmental investment; dasymetric mapping; data-driven policy; Clean School Bus Program; federal grant programs; public funding; environmental health

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MDPI and ACS Style

Osia, U.; Cutts, B.B.; Pullen Fedinick, K.; Boone, K. Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081232

AMA Style

Osia U, Cutts BB, Pullen Fedinick K, Boone K. Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(8):1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081232

Chicago/Turabian Style

Osia, Uchenna, Bethany B. Cutts, Kristi Pullen Fedinick, and Kofi Boone. 2025. "Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 8: 1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081232

APA Style

Osia, U., Cutts, B. B., Pullen Fedinick, K., & Boone, K. (2025). Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(8), 1232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081232

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Infrastructure as Environmental Health Policy: Lessons from the Clean School Bus Program’s Challenges and Innovations

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