In the previous year, the Ritenour School District located in Missouri secured a substantial grant of $9.5 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This funding was intended to replace its aging diesel school buses with environmentally friendly electric vehicles.

By mid-January, the district was on the brink of making the switch, with the new electric buses awaiting pickup just an hour away at a dealership. All that remained was for the district to access its grant funds and finalize the payment.

However, the situation changed dramatically with the inauguration of President Trump, as the EPA halted the disbursement of these funds. This freeze has persisted despite multiple court rulings directing the Trump administration to release the allocated federal funds.

As a result, the buses have not been able to move from their location. “The buses are currently sitting 52 miles away in a small Illinois town, and we are unable to retrieve them,” expressed Chris Kilbride, the superintendent of Ritenour School District, which caters to approximately 6,500 students in the suburbs of St. Louis.

Despite assurances from nonprofits, government entities, and other beneficiaries, a significant number of federal grants remain frozen. These organizations are finding themselves unable to access the funding that was promised by prior administrations.

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