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The Selma City Schools’ transportation department is going green with its yellow school buses.

The district has received a $1.7 million grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program to purchase five electric buses to add to its fleet.

The buses the district will receive will be from Lion Electric, which brought one of the electric buses from Fairfield City Schools to show what Selma’s buses will look like.

“This is a transition not just about buses, but about ensuring cleaner air for your students and your community,” said EPA Region 4 administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. “Your award signifies for us a commitment to equity in environmental health.”

Nate Baguio of Lion Electric said Selma isn’t joining a pilot program. They are joining the thousands of electric buses that are on the road right now.

“Future generations will be able to enjoy getting on these school buses and not having to breathe unhealthy feeling,” Baguio said. “In addition to that, school districts are gonna be able to put more money in the classroom.”

The buses are expected to have a similar life expectancy as regular diesel buses, but he said the buses could serve a new purpose after their life expectancy is over. He said the buses could provide temporary power for schools or the community in the event of a blackout. And the buses could then be recycled to go back into the next generation of technology.

Interim School Superintendent Darryl Aikerson said it’s important to get grants like this to invest in the students and their education.

“That’s very important,” Aikerson said. “We plan to invest as we invest this money back into the classroom via our savings by having these electric school buses.”

The funds were helped secured by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell.