BISHOP PAIUTE TRIBE ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CLEAN ENERGY NUUMU MOBILITY PROJECT FOR EDUCATION AND ELDERS  PROGRAMS

 

Bishop Tribe implements innovative transportation system with support from the State of California, Southern California Edison

 

[Bishop Paiute Reservation, CA, April 19, 2026]. – The Bishop Paiute Tribe recently received a voucher grant from the California Air Resources Board’s and California Energy Commission’s Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program (CMO) to implement the Tribe’s Nuumu Mobility project, which will provide clean electric transport to tribal students and elders to access needed educational and community services.

 

The program will be operated by the Bishop Paiute Tribe and offer safe and clean transportation for students, providing shuttles for after-school tutoring services at the Bishop Paiute Tribe Indian Education Center, an additional school bus for preschool students accessing Bishop Indian Headstart Preschool, and a passenger vehicle for Tribal Elders services.

 

The tribal project restores or adds to existing fleets that previously used internal combustion engine vehicles. Electric vehicles have the potential to receive energy from renewable sources such as solar.  Adding electric vehicle infrastructure to tribal fleets moves the tribe closer to meeting tribal energy and climate goals. The Tribe has partnered with the nearby Big Pine Tribe that has a similar project.

 

“Staff of the two tribal governments have been working together for the past year to host several workshops to gather input to ensure the final results are safe, convenient, and accessible to children, teachers and parents and elders involved in the programs of both tribal communities,” says Brian Adkins, Urban Planner for Bishop Tribe and project manager.

 

The vehicles will be charged using three EVSE units that were installed in 2025 through an agreement with the Tribe, which provided a total of six charging ports at the Ed Center parking.   These EVSE will be available for tribal fleet vehicles, including the Tribe’s Elders Center and Headstart Preschool.

 

Susie Cisneros, Director of the Bishop Indian Head Start Preschool, who will be adding a 15-passenger all-electric school bus and Level 2 chargers to her fleet, expressed her gratitude for the program. “We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in California’s clear air mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, most importantly, provide safe and healthy transportation services to Head Start preschool children! Thank you to all the stakeholders involved in the California Climate Investment Project!”

 

The Bishop Indian Education Center provides educational supportive services for the youth of the Tribe and the surrounding community. Program Director Daya Sepsey, whose program will be deploying two all-electric 9-passenger shuttles, said, “We are fortunate and grateful for this opportunity to safely and efficiently transport program students to and from the center from school and to home destinations. Through the employment of electric vehicle technology, we will set an example for our youth about the importance of protecting our environment for the next seven generations”. 

 

The Bishop Paiute Elders Center, headed by Director Tammy Andrade, will be deploying a plug-in hybrid Toyota RAV-4 for her program along with a dedicated level-two charger. This vehicle will add to the current program by offering transport for tribal elders from home to the Center, as a part of their existing regular weekly program that includes a lunch and activities for the participants.

 

The program officially launched at 11:30 am on Sunday April 19, 2026, at the Bishop Paiute Tribe Earth Day at the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center, located at 2300 West Line Street, Bishop, CA.   For more information, please contact Brian Adkins, Urban Planner at [email protected].   760-873-3584 x 2100.

 

Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready  program supports transportation electrification by funding make‑ready infrastructure for electric vehicle charging ports at apartments, workplaces and other key locations across SCE’s service area.

 

 

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About Clean Mobility Options:

CMO is part of California Climate Investments and California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Clean Transportation Program. CMO is a statewide initiative that provides funding for zero-emission shared mobility options to under-resourced communities in California. CMO, a California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission (CEC) project, is available throughout California to all eligible disadvantaged and low-income communities and tribal governments to increase access to safe, reliable, convenient, and affordable transportation options. For more information, visit cleanmobilityoptions.org.

 

About California Climate Investments:

California Climate Investments is a statewide initiative that uses billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to fund projects that reduce harmful emissions, protect public health, strengthen local economies, and support natural environments. With a strong focus on communities most impacted by pollution and limited access to resources, California Climate Investments helps build a more equitable and sustainable future.

 

About CEC’s Clean Transportation Program:

CMO is also funded by CEC’s Clean Transportation Program. CEC’s Clean Transportation Program is investing more than $1 billion to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission transportation infrastructure and support in-state manufacturing and workforce training and development.