Alliance for a Sustainable Future's Cities Advancing Climate Action Resource GuideCopyrighted
February 7, 2022
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 8.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Alliance for a Sustainable Future's Cities Advancing Climate Action
Resource Guide
SUMMARY: City Manager providing a copy of the Alliance for a Sustainable Future's
Cities Advancing Climate Action Resource Guide, in which Dubuque is
featured.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
"How to leverage infrastructure grants to achieve Supporting Documentation
sustainability goals." US Conference of Mayors
Cities Advancing
Climate Action:
Leveraging Federe
Funds for Local Irr
A Resource Guide
THE UNITEO STATES 'f _C
CONFERENCE OF MAYORS , L J
1Ih++d _ AMMON& W-
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ajoint effort by
The U.S. Conference of Mayors
and the Center for Climate
and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
January 2022
THE UNITED STATES
CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
Francis X. Suarez
Mayor of Miami
President
Hillary Schieve
Mayor of Reno
Vice President
Erin Mendenhall
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Chair, Alliance for a Sustainable
Future
Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
THE UNITED STATES
CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
About the U.S. Conference of Mayors: The U.S. Conference of Mayors
is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of
30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today,
and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected
official, the mayor. Learn more at www.usmayors.org
Acknowledgement
THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE
AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Nat Keohane
President
C2ES
MUNAU
rlw
About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is
an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to forge
practical solutions to climate change. Our mission is to advance strong
policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean
energy, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. Learn more at
www.c2es.ora
The Alliance for a Sustainable Future would like to thank AECOM for leading the development of this report. We
would also like to thank the cities of Dubuque, Denver, Miami, New Orleans, and Wichita, as well as the Cambridge
Housing Authority, Roseville Electric, and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District for their contributions to this
report. Please note that none of the views of the report necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. The
U.S. Conference of Mayors and C2ES are solely responsible for the content of this report.
AEACOM
THE UNITED STATES `
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Cities Advancing Climate Action:
Leveraging Funds for Local Impact
A Resource Guide
ALLIANCE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
A joint effort by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES).
January 2022
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Introduction 6
Creative Utilization of Funding 8
Sources for Comprehensive
Flood Mitigation
Dubuque, IA
Strategic Greening of Municipal 17
Fleets through Federal Funding
Wichita, KS
Effective Planning for Spending 25
Sustainability Funds
Denver, CO
Embedding Equity, Community 31
Benefit, and Sob Creation into
Climate Initiatives
New Orleans, LA; Cambridge, MA; and Miami, FL
Powerful Municipal Utility 47
Planning for Widespread
Vehicle Electrification
Roseville and Sacramento, CA
Appendix 56
Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act Resource Guide
Introduction
American cities have been at the center
of advancing climate and resilience
priorities for communities for decades.
With the increase in funding from the
federal government for these types of
initiatives, cities will soon find themselves
in a position to make an even greater
impact in their communities. This comes
at a time when the need for swift and
impactful action against climate change
and structural inequality is necessary to
support communities recovering from
the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recognizing this need for action, the
federal government has recently passed a
series of funding and recovery packages
to support local governments. Following
the March 2021 passage of the American
Rescue Plan, on November 1S, 2021,
President Biden signed into law the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA). This over $1 trillion package creates
funding for new programs and reauthorizes
and/or expands many existing programs
to advance transportation, energy,
broadband, and resilience initiatives. It
creates critical grant funding for state and
local governments, increases the cap on
private activity bonds, opening the door
for more public -private partnerships, and
sets a framework for reducing carbon
emissions, investing in clean energy, and
building national climate resilience.
As a result of these legislative initiatives,
and potential others, cities will soon have
access to an influx of funding to support
their climate, resilience, and equity priorities.
By identifying proven ways federal and
state funding has been leveraged in the
past, cities can learn from each other how
to identify funding opportunities, position
themselves to receive funds, and replicate
successful project strategies. With this in
mind, the Alliance for a Sustainable Future, a
collaboration between The U.S. Conference
of Mayors (USCM) and the Center for
Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), has
developed a collection of case studies that
highlight what cities can do now to pre-
position for funding, plan for co -leveraging
diverse funds, and develop projects to
capture maximum community benefits.
This document is meant to serve as both
inspiration and a practical guide for cities.
Also included at the end of this document
is an appendix that features many of the
new and existing climate related programs
in the new Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA). Mayors and local leaders
may find the appendix useful in identifying
potential funding programs that can
help cities reach their climate goals.
The case studies include examples of how
cities and municipal utilities have leveraged
recovery funds in the past, secured
funds by demonstrating community
impact, used planning processes to guide
decision making in resource -constrained
environments, and tackled large challenges
bit -by -bit. It features the following:
1. Creative Utilization of Funding Sources for
Comprehensive Flood Mitigation
(Dubuque, IA)
2. Strategic Greening of Municipal Fleets with
Federal Funding (Wichita, KS)
3. Effective Planning for Spending
Sustainability Funds (Denver, CO)
4. Embedding Equity, Community Benefit,
and Job Creation into Climate Initiatives
(New Orleans, LA; Cambridge, MA; and
Miami, FL)
S. Powerful Municipal Utility Planning
for Widespread Vehicle Electrification
(Sacramento and Roseville, CA)
In developing this document, USCM, C2ES,
and AECOM relied upon publicly available
information and targeted interviews to
better understand the project or initiative,
the actual or anticipated impacts on
climate and equity goals, how funding
was secured, how funding decisions
were made, and what lessons learned
could be shared with other cities.
While each case study offers unique lessons,
there were also several key strategies that
cut across these success stories including:
■ Develop a plan to meet community needs
before chasing funding.
■ Identify multiple and diverse community
benefits that can be achieved through
each project.
■ Match funding opportunities with
identified needs.
■ Engage diverse stakeholders early and
often.
■ Build relationships and identify common
goals with funders, community
organizations, and stakeholders.
Creative Utilization Overview
of Funding
Sources for
Comprehensive
Flood Mitigation
The Bee Branch Creek Flood
Mitigation Project (Dubuque, IA)
In many regions of the United States,
climate change is leading to an increased
risk of flooding that damages homes,
businesses, crops, and infrastructure.
Studies have shown that since 1988,
approximately one-third of the monetary
costs of flooding were due to the
intensification of precipitation.
Nearly $75 billion of the $199 billion
flood damage costs incurred since that
time are associated with more frequent
and intense storms' This case study
illustrates Dubuque, Iowa's successful
approach to flood mitigation.
Dubuque, Iowa's most affordable
neighborhoods, located in the Bee Branch
Watershed, have felt the effects of increased
flooding. Between 1999 and 2011 the
watershed, in which over half of the city's
residents live or work, has experienced
multiple flood events that resulted in
six Presidential Disaster Declarations.
Caused primarily by inadequate storm
sewer capacity, these floods impacted
property, health, and threatened lives. A
1999 storm produced tornado warnings
and simultaneously flooded hundreds of
basements in the watershed. Residents who
had sought safety from the severe weather
in their basements were forced to leave
due to rising water. As one resident stated,
"It was evacuate the tornado shelter or
drown.112 During this time, property values
in the area declined while those in other
areas of the city steadily rose; businesses
experienced disruptions; emergency
services were impaired; and homes were
frequently subjected to flooding.
Despite generations of belief that the
flooding in the area was too big an issue
to solve, the 1999 storm convinced the
city's leaders that it was time for action.
1 Davenport, F., Burke, M., and Diffenbaugh, N., 2021: Contribution of historical precipitations changes to US flood damages. Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences of the United States ofAmerica, January26, 2021. httl2s //doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2017524118
2 The Telegraph Herald, May 20,1999
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
They adopted a Drainage Basin Master
Plan that identified areas of risk and
infrastructure projects to address flooding.
The project development process was
eventually slowed to allow significant citizen
input into design options. Based upon
community input, the $250 million Bee
Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project
was designed to address flooding, while also
providing water quality benefits, community
green space, educational opportunities,
walking and biking trails, and other
recreational amenities for this community
of approximately 59,600 residents.
These additional project impacts and
benefits, as well as comprehensive
community outreach during design and
implementation, allowed the city to access
funding sources not normally utilized for
flood mitigation projects and address
flooding in a comprehensive manner.
Funding
To implement the Bee Branch Watershed
flood mitigation project, multiple funding
sources were creatively utilized and
leveraged. Federal funds totaling more
than $81.5 million have been secured for
the project and can be found in Table 1.
- • - Program/Opportunity Amount Project Components
Housing Natural Disaster
and Urban Resilience Competition
Development
$ 31,500,000 . Storm sewer improvements
■ Railroad culverts
■ Drainage basin improvements
■ Bee Branch Home Resiliency
Program
Environmental Clean Water State $ 64,851,908 . Upper Bee Branch Creek
Protection Revolving Fund restoration
Agency
■ Lower Bee Branch Creek
restoration
■ Detention basin
■ Railroad culverts
■ Green alleys
Environmental Brownfield $ 400,000 Remediation of Maintenance
Protection Remediation Grant Facility site
Agency
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
hkt..00
- • - • -
Program/Opportunity Amount
Project Components
Department
Land and Water $175,000
• Bee Branch Creek Trail
of Interior
Conservation Grant
connector tunnel
Economic
Disaster Relief $ 3,727,138
• Bee Branch Creek daylighting
Development
Opportunity Program
Administration
• Water and wastewater
infrastructure
• Roadway construction
• Landscaping
• Flood gate and pump station
replacement
Department of Scenic Byways Grant $1,000,000 • Trail construction
Transportation
Department of Transportation $ 5,600,000 Historic Millwork District
Transportation Investment Street improvements
Generating Economic
Recovery (TIGER) Grant
Department of Dubuque Metropolitan $ 940,000 Bee Branch Creek overlook
Transportation Area Transportation parking
Study (DMATS) Grant
Table 1: Federal Funding Utilized for the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project
State funding has paid for approximately
$105 million of the project costs as can be
seen in Table 2. Remaining project costs
have been paid through general obligation
bonds of the city, stormwater utility
revenues, green alley assessments, and
donations.
As with federal funds, the city identified
multiple state funding sources for various
components of the Flood Mitigation Project
as can be seen in Table 2. In the early
stages of the project, the city recognized
that it was not eligible for sales tax funding
through the State's Flood Mitigation Fund.
State law limited eligibility to projects that
were approved for funding under certain
federal programs for which Dubuque was
not eligible. Only two cities in the state
met the criteria, so Dubuque took action.
The city was successful in its efforts to
change state law so that projects approved
for Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF) funding were also eligible
for sales tax funding under the Flood
Mitigation Fund. This change allowed
the city to leverage its CWSRF funding
and capture an additional $98.5 million
from the state which could be used to
repay bonds financing the Bee Branch
Watershed Flood Mitigation Project.
Early in the project, city officials applied to
multiple federal agencies to fund various
portions of the project plan. Although the
main purpose of the project was flood
mitigation, multiple other benefits and
outcomes were part of the project design.
By thinking creatively and identifying
broader benefits and impacts, the city was
able to locate additional funding sources
not directly tied to flood mitigation.
10
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
For example, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) CWSRF is primarily used for
wastewater treatment and conveyance;
however, the agency ultimately agreed with
city officials that project components had
significant water quality benefits and thus
qualified for funding. Similarly, Department
of Transportation funding was utilized
for trails, permeable streets, and other
transportation -related project components.
With the exception of the CWSRF loan,
all federal funds awarded were grants.
Under the CWSRF, the project qualified
for more than $SS million low interest
financing, of which more than $5 million was
forgivable under a program to incent green
infrastructure.
Another incentive allowed the city to
forgo repayment of $9.4 million in interest
on a state CWSRF loan for the city's
Water and Resource Recovery Center
and utilize those funds to convert alleys
to permeable pavement to decrease
stormwater runoff in the watershed.
Federal funds not only paid for portions of
the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation
Project, they were also leveraged to capture
a significant amount of state funds.
Program/
• -
Opportunity
Amount
Project Components
Iowa Department
State Recreational
$ 100,000
■ Trail design and
of Transportation
Trail Grant
construction
• Parking
Iowa Finance Authority
I -Jobs 11 Grant
$ 3,965,500
• Lower Bee Branch
creek restoration
■ Drainage Basin
construction
Iowa Economic
River Enhancement
$ 2,250,000
. Bee Branch Creek
Development Authority,
Community
overlook
Vision Iowa Board
Attraction and
Tourism Grant
• Bridges
(R E CAT)
■ Trail construction
• Amphitheater
■ Landscaping
Iowa Department of
Flood Mitigation
$ 98,500,000
. Bee Branch Creek
Homeland Security
Fund, Sales Tax
restoration
and Emergency
Funding
Management
• Drainage Basin
improvements
■ Storm Sewer
improvements
Table 2: State Funding Utilized for the Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project
l�
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Project Elements
The Bee Branch Watershed covers more
than six square miles within Dubuque
and drains into the Mississippi River via
the Bee Branch Creek. The area contains
the city's downtown and over half of
Dubuque's residents live and/or work in
the Watershed. The Watershed includes
historic neighborhoods and much
of the community's most affordable
workforce housing. The Bee Branch
Flood Mitigation Project is a twelve -
phase, $250 million effort designed to
reduce, slow, and convey stormwater
safely, as well as protect the city's water
treatment plant from flooding. As part of
the project, the city developed the Bee
Branch Creek Greenway and established
a loan program allowing residents to
borrow funds to address stormwater
and resilience issues at their homes.
The city's investment in this ambitious,
ongoing project includes the following
UPSTREAM DETENTION BASINS
Detention basins allow the capture of
stormwater upstream, holding it until the
downstream area has had time to drain. One
basin was constructed in 2003 to reduce
the peak flow of runoff during a 100-year
rain event by 98% from 1,490 cubic feet per
second down to 30 cubic feet per second.
The storage capacity of another basin was
doubled in 2009. Native grasses, wetland
vegetation and wildflowers were utilized
at the second basin to maximize its ability
to hold runoff and reduce the speed and
amount of flows to downstream areas. The
city spent approximately $5.2 million on
drainage basin construction and expansion.
STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
This $17.5 million effort includes
replacement, and construction of multiple
storm sewers and drains, street and sidewalk
reconstruction and relocation of other
utilities.
In addition to providing enhanced
capacity to safely convey stormwater out
of flood prone areas, the storm sewers
discharging into Bee Creek were equipped
with nutrient spreading baffle boxes to
reduce trash and pollutants from entering
the creek. The design will positively
impact the water quality of the Creek
by reducing the amounts of nutrients
flowing downstream and lessening
bacteria growth leading to fewer odors.
BEE BRANCH CREEK RESTORATION
The Bee Branch Creek Restoration is the
crowning jewel of the project and consisted
of daylighting a one -mile section of the
Bee Branch Creek. The restored creek and
floodplain convey stormwater through the
area without flooding adjacent properties
and also serves as a linear park. Restoration
was completed in two phases. The
downstream portion of the creek, known
as the Lower Bee Branch, was restored
in 2011 at a cost of just over $29 million.
Construction of the upstream section of
the restored creek, called the Upper Bee
Branch, began in 2015. It cost approximately
$64 million and was completed in 2017.
PERMEABLE PAVEMENT
Stormwater runoff is further decreased,
and pollutants filtered, through the
installation of permeable pavement. In
2012, the city completed the $8 million
Millwork District Complete Street Project
which included reconstructing the street
with permeable pavement, installing of
permeable parking and alleys, and other
utility improvements. The Green Alley
Reconstruction Project began in 2014 and
has an anticipated cost of $57.4 million of
which 15%will be assessed to landowners
adjacent to the alleys. By replacing
conventional pavement with permeable
pavers, up to 80% of the stormwater runoff
from alleys is expected to be eliminated.
12
RAILROAD CULVERTS AND FLOOD GATES
Culverts under the railroad tracks were
completed and the ribbon -cutting was
held in October of 2021. This portion of the
project allows stormwater to drain under
the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks to
the downstream portion of the creek and
represented a critical component of the
flood mitigation project. Flood gates and
pumps to help control water levels and the
conversion of the old Bee Branch storm
sewers into a pedestrian tunnel, connects
the Upper and Lower Bee Branch Creek
trails. Costing $32 million, the culverts and
associated infrastructure increases the
system's capacity to protect the area from
a 75-year flood event to a 500-year event.
In addition, flood mitigation gates and
the pump station controlling the flow of
water between the 16th Street detention
basin and the Mississippi River cut-off
channel are being replaced. The system
allows stormwater to gravity flow or be
pumped out of the Bee Branch Creek
Drainage System and prevents backflow
from the River from flooding the watershed
The project is expected to cost $17.2
million and be completed in 2022.
THE BEE BRANCH HEALTHY
HOMES RESILIENCY PROGRAM
In addition to infrastructure improvements,
the City of Dubuque also established the
Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency
Program to assist residents in the watershed
making improvements to their homes.
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) awarded
$8.4 million for forgivable loans to address
structural issues, electrical hazards,
implement drainage improvements,
remediate mold and mildew and other
issues. This program will be finished soon.
Funds were available for single and
small multi -family residential structures
in which low- to moderate -income
residents live. From 2017 to 2021, the
program improved 275 housing units.
FUTURE BEE BRANCH WATERSHED
FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS
Future Bee Branch Creek Flood Mitigation
projects include protecting the city's
drinking water plant and building a Flood
Mitigation Maintenance Facility adjacent
to the Bee Branch Greenway. The city's
source of potable water will be protected
from flooding events by a new flood wall,
new stormwater pipe, conveyance, and
backflow prevention installations. This $4.4
million project is expected to be completed
in late 2025. The Maintenance Facility will
be built on a Brownfield site which was
previously the location of a scrap and
recycling yard. After remediation, the new
facility will serve as an operations center
for creek maintenance, provide public
restrooms, and have additional recreational
space. Remediation and construction at
the site is expected to cost approximately
$5.5 million and be completed in 2028.
Community Impact
With substantial portions of the project
completed, the community has seen
significant, positive impacts far beyond flood
mitigation. Due to the leadership of Mayor
Roy Buol and his staff, and their willingness
to engage Dubuque residents, the Bee
Branch Creek Greenway is a community
gathering spot and a destination point
in addition to providing flood protection.
Increased recreation, educational, and
development opportunities are now
available in an area of town that is
home to vulnerable and disadvantaged
communities who had largely been ignored.
13
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Property values have stabilized and when
flooding occurs, damage is minimal. This
is particularly significant as vulnerable
communities are more likely to be at risk
of flooding and their ability to recover
from these events is lower than the
general population. Health and economic
impacts are felt most strongly by the
elderly, children, those with low incomes,
and communities of color. Outcomes
in Dubuque are improved through the
Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency
Program which has successfully completed
improvements in over 275 residential
units. These projects are creating more
resilient housing and improving the
quality of life in the Watershed.
To demonstrate their flood mitigation
success, the city is proud to highlight two
rain events, one in 2002 and one in 2017,
with similar severity but vastly different
outcomes. In each, just under five inches
of rain fell in a 24-hour period. The 2002
storm resulted in extensive damage and
a Presidential Disaster Declaration. The
2017 storm, occurring after the completion
of detention basins, Bee Branch Creek
restoration, and storm sewer improvements,
resulted in limited property damage.
Without the Bee Branch Creek Flood
Mitigation Project, it is estimated that
more than $11.5 million in property damage
would have occurred in the 2017 storm.
Lessons Learned and
Strategies for Replication
Actively Manage Complications:
Dubuque learned that utilizing multiple
funding agencies complicates project
administration. Each agency has their
own requirements relating to eligibility,
implementation, and reporting.
Additionally, agencies do not use the
same definitions for key terms that
impact funding eligibility.
To work through these issues, city
staff built relationships and worked
closely with agencies to understand
the nuances of each program and
overcome inconsistencies when possible.
Construction bids were let in phases to
accommodate differing program bidding
or construction requirements, and
ultimately, the city added staff to manage
the complications brought by multiple
funding and reporting requirements.
Engage the Community: City officials
have stated that they wish the project
could have proceeded more quickly;
however, they feel that slowing the
design process to allow input from citizen
committees and the public at large
added significant community value to the
project. City leaders were committed to
the project, but the community's strong
desire to implement comprehensive
solutions and incorporate features to
address a broader array of community
needs provided leaders with both the
support and push to implement a much
more impactful flood mitigation program
than would have occurred without
public input. Additionally, allowing the
community to provide input on design
influenced the amenities incorporated
and how the project looked and fit into
the neighborhood. City leaders believe
that the delays were worthwhile as the
city's citizens will have to live with the
project for the long term and, as put by
one city official, "Everyone deserves to live
in a beautiful place."
Create a Plan: Communities considering
flood mitigation or other resilience
projects should first identify risks
and solutions, then design a plan for
implementation. Having a plan in place
allows the community to think creatively
and identify a wide array of benefits or
impacts for which funding can be sought.
14
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
With that information, project
descriptions and names can be easily
adjusted to fit the specific funding
sources. Existing plans also increase the
likelihood of receiving federal and state
funds as plans provide assurance that the
awards will be spent wisely and spent in a
timely manner.
Understand Funding Programs:
Understanding the purpose, goals and
eligibility definitions of funding programs
allows communities to identify creative
opportunities to access funding. As
Dubuque has shown, understanding the
eligibility requirements of Iowa's Flood
Mitigation Sales Tax Funding allowed the
city to seek eligibility changes allowing
additional communities to access the
program. This program became the
largest single source of funding for the
Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation
Project.
Think Creatively & Holistically About
Benefits: Thinking creatively about all of
the benefits and impacts of a project, not
just those related to the project's primary
purpose, can help identify additional
funding opportunities to support the
project.
Build Relationships with Funding
Agencies: Building relationships with
funding agencies can increase the
likelihood that applications, particularly
those seeking non-traditional use of
funds, are considered and not rejected
out of hand. Furthermore, by establishing
relationships and building trust with
funders, meaningful discussion about
funding needs, obstacles, and project
benefits may lead to the identification of
additional funding opportunities.
Resources for Further
Reading
To learn more about the Bee Branch Creek
Watershed Flood Mitigation Project, visit:
www.cityofdubuque.org/beebranch
Contact Information
CITY OF DUBUQUE
Contact Name:
Kristin Hill
Communications Specialist
Phone: (563) 690.6068
Email: Khill&cityofdubuque.org
is
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Projects
U.S. Department Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations: For cooperative projects
of Agriculture to prevent erosion, floodwater, and sediment damage, and projects to
further conservation and proper use of land in authorized watersheds.
Federal
Flood Mitigation Assistance Program: Financial and technical
Emergency
assistance to reduce the risk of flood damage to homes and
Management
businesses through buyouts, elevation, and other activities.
Agency
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
Program: Pre -disaster mitigation program supporting hazard
mitigation projects to reduce disaster and natural hazard risks.
U.S. State and Tribal Assistance Brownfield Grants: To assess, safely
Environmental clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties.
Protection
Agency Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants:
For the planning, construction and design of treatment
works for municipal combined sewer overflows, sanitary
sewer overflows, or stormwater, and measures to manage,
reduce, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage.
Clean Water State Revolving Funds: To restore and maintain clean
water including wastewater and green infrastructure projects.
Stormwater Control Infrastructure Project Grants: To carry out
stormwater control infrastructure projects that incorporate new
and emerging, but proven, stormwater control technologies.
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability
Program: To establish clean water infrastructure resilience
and sustainability programs for natural hazard or
cybersecurity vulnerabilities of public treatment works.
U.S. Department Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability
of Transportation and Equity (RAISE) Grants: To support surface transportation
projects of local and/or regional significance, including
projects that improve environmental sustainability.
Healthy Streets Program: to deploy cool pavements and
porous pavements and to expand tree cover with priority
for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program: For eligible
projects to provide safe and connected active transportation facilities
in an active transportation network or active transportation spine.
Army Corps of New Construction Projects
Engineers
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
16
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Strategic Greening
of Municipal Fleets
through Federal
Funding
Utilizing Federal Funds for
Transit Bus Electrification
(Wichita, KS)
Municipal and transit fleet electrification
projects can help cities reach their
climate change goals, improve quality
of life for communities, and save on
transportation infrastructure costs in
the long term. Transit buses are a great
option for fleet electrification as they
often travel through the denser parts of
cities where poor air quality is already
a higher risk. If all transit buses in the
United States were replaced with zero -
emission vehicles it would eliminate more
than two million tons of greenhouse
gas emissions each year. The benefits
of fleet electrification are numerous:
Electric vehicles provide a safer, cleaner,
and quieter experience for riders of public
transportation.
• The transition to electric buses will help
reduce harmful emissions from diesel
engines which significantly reduce
regional air quality and affect the health
and well-being of all city residents.
Those who ride buses, and are most
impacted by their emissions, will benefit
from transit electrification. Populations
that are particularly vulnerable to the
health impacts of poor air quality,
including children, the elderly, and
those with pre-existing conditions,
are also those most likely to be public
transportation dependent.
• Electric buses have overall much lower
operating, maintenance, and fuel costs
than diesel buses.
■ Electric buses are also more likely to be
equipped with cutting edge technologies
like those that allow for easier access for
wheelchair riders and features like Wi-Fi
access than conventional transit options.
The Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act heavily features programs
to promote vehicle electrification,
including greening of municipal fleets.
This case study highlights the City of
Wichita's Transportation Department
and how they successfully adopted
electric buses and novel sustainability
infrastructure using federal funding.
Overview
The City of Wichita's Transit Department
has made a commitment to replace all
their diesel vehicles with green alternatives
by 2032. So far, with the help of federal
funding, they have successfully integrated
eleven electric buses into their fleet,
built substantial charging infrastructure,
and are in the process of building a
new transit hub that will transform the
downtown transportation system.
17
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
The Transit Department's focus on setting long term priorities, using funds strategically,
and building strong partnerships has taken them far and can offer valuable insight to other
cities.
Funding
The City of Wichita's Transit Department has utilized almost $16.5 million to date in its efforts
to meet its vehicle electrification goals.
While the majority of these funds, $16.3 million, were received through federal grant awards,
their progress would not have been possible without the strategic use of other funding
sources.
• • - Program/Opportunity Amount Project Components
Federal Transit Fiscal Year 2018 Low or $ 2,300,000 Purchase of four
Administration No -Emission (Low -No) Proterra electric
Bus Program Grant transit buses
(a subprogram
within the FTA Grants
for Buses and Bus
Facilities Program)
Federal Transit
Grants for Buses
$ 2,700,000
■ Purchase of seven
Administration
and Bus Facilities
Complete Coach
Formula Grant
Works ZEPS
Program - 5339(a)
Federal Transit
Fiscal Year 2019 Grants
$14,000,000
■ Transit Center
Administration
for Buses and Bus
Facilities Program
Table 3: Federal Funds Utilized by Wichita Transit
Notes
Amount
Project Components
City of Wichita
Required city
$ 400,000
Purchase of four
matching funds
Proterra electric
for the Low or No-
transit buses
Emission (Low -No)
Bus Program Grant
Evergy (Wichita's
Private Partner
$ 55,000
Charging
electric service
Financial Contribution
infrastructure
provider)
Table 4: Other Funds Utilized by Wichita Transit
18
Project Elements
PROTERRA TRANSIT BUSES
AND BUS BARN
The City of Wichita Transit Department's
first electric buses hit the streets in early
2020 and were funded primarily by the
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Fiscal
Year 2018 Low or No -Emission (Low -No)
Bus Program Grant (a subprogram within
the FTA Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities
Program). With this grant they replaced
four diesel transit buses that were at
the end of their useful life with Proterra
electric buses. With the financial and
technical support from the local electric
utility, Evergy, this project also included a
new bus barn with the capacity to charge
fifteen electric buses. The bus barn was
built to support the charging of more
buses than were purchased to ensure
that future electric bus purchases would
be supported by existing infrastructure.
Q-LINE TROLLEY BUSES
In 2019 seven electric buses were purchased
to replace the downtown Q-line trolley
cars. The purchase was made using funds
from the Federal Transit Administration
Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Formula
Grant Program - 5339(a). This program
provides funding for states and transit
agencies through a statutory formula to
replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses
and related equipment. The funding is
not specifically allocated for electrification
projects and was originally awarded to
buy new diesel trolley cars. The budget
was not large enough to purchase
Proterra electric buses, so the Wichita
Transit Department instead purchased
smaller electric buses from Complete
Coach Works. These buses were built from
refurbished Gillig buses, which maintained
some of the vintage appeal of the original
trolley cars as well as the smaller size.
Not only did these buses fit with the
image of the trolley, they also fit with the
budget that did not originally contemplate
electrification of the Q-line. Bystrategically
purchasing less expensive electric buses
and overbuilding the bus barn, Wichita's
Transit Department was able to afford
not only the electric buses, but also
the infrastructure to charge them.
TRANSPORTATION HUB
In 2019 Wichita's Transit Department
received funding from the FTA Grants
for Buses and Bus Facilities Program to
construct a new downtown transit hub to
make the downtown more accessible and
sustainable. The solar -powered building will
provide bus and private vehicle charging
and parking, bike and scooter storage and
ride -share programs, and connections
to the free electric trolley service.
Partners
In addition to the strategic use of
funds, this transit bus electrification
initiative highlights the important role
of partnerships in designing a project
with widespread benefits and in putting
forth a strong application for funding.
UTILITY AND MANUFACTURER PARTNERS
Both Evergy and Proterra have significant
expertise and offered their time, data, and
knowledge of best practices to help Wichita
construct an informed plan, position for
grants, and write applications. The Wichita
Transit Department team is small and the
support of the staff at Evergy and Proterra
were vital to getting applications written.
Shortly before Wichita Transit Department's
first FTA grant application, Evergy (then
Westar) launched an initiative with
the state of Kansas to offer reduced
electricity rates for electric vehicles
charging during off-peak hours.
19
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Wichita was eager to work with Evergy
as the first participant in this state-wide
program. In addition to offering Wichita
a favorable electricity rate structure,
Evergy provided technical assistance, a
transformer to support vehicle charging,
and a portion of the matching funds
required to secure the FTA grant.
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
Collaborating with local, city, and state
officials helped demonstrate tofu nders
that Wichita's Transit Department was
proposing a project the community would
support. This partnership helped prove
feasibility to funders and decreased the
likelihood of bureaucratic roadblocks along
the way. Funders want to support projects
that they believe will be completed and
will make an impact; the vocal support
of government officials provide that
assurance. Knowing that the project has
the support of the city also helps emphasize
the longevity of the project, that it will
receive the necessary attention to last.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
The local Sierra Club hosted outreach
events educating the public about electric
vehicles and their support helped Wichita's
Transit Department petition for grants
by demonstrating a tangible community
interest in this initiative. Staff pointed out
that outreach events help familiarize people
with what the city transit department is
doing and could influence them to vote
in favor of increasing transit budgets. One
event hosted in the mall let customers
walk around inside a Proterra vehicle
and learn about the free trolley service.
Getting local groups excited about the work
can translate to broader community support.
For the Transit Hub and trolley service,
Wichita's Transit Department elicited the
support of Visit Wichita, a tourism group
dedicated to bringing people to Wichita
and enhancing their experience in the
downtown. Their involvement helped guide
Wichita's Transit Department to create a
service that would have practical benefits
to the usage of downtown Wichita and
visitors alike. As a result, the electric trolley
service connects the Transit Hub to a
downtown conference hall frequented by
visitors to the city. In addition to providing
valuable design input, partners that
can advocate for the diverse benefits of
proposed projects help grant applications
stand out. In this case, Visit Wichita
offered a letter of support to funders,
demonstrating the economic benefits
of bringing this technology to the city.
Community Impacts
This program has significant positive
impacts on carbon reduction goals. Each
diesel bus replaced with an electric bus will
avoid 1.8 million pounds of carbon emissions
in its lifetime, and with eleven electric
buses operating in the Wichita Transit
fleet, the department will avoid 19.8 million
tons of future carbon emissions. Proterra
leases the battery packs of the buses to
The City of Wichita's Transit Department
so at the half-life of each battery it is
replaced with the most current model. This
approach allows for the buses to become
more efficient as technology evolves,
and the old batteries can be repurposed
into emergency generators for the city.
20
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Furthermore, both the Proterra and
Complete Coach Work buses offer
a quieter, safer, and more enjoyable
ride for users of public transportation,
and reduce noise and air pollution
for riders and non -riders alike.
Wichita's Transit Department staff
noted that the use of diesel buses
throughout neighborhoods resulted
in complaints from homeowners to
the department regarding air quality
and noise pollution. The use of electric
buses has resolved this problem.
An initiative like this gives a company
like Proterra an opportunity to
gather data about usage of their
product in a small city. This also
gives them a platform to familiarize
people with electric vehicles and
hopefully encourage private adoption
of electric cars. This exposure to
electric vehicles can also promote
green job creation in the city and at
local universities to train engineers
to maintain and advance electric
vehicles and related infrastructure.
What's Next
With eleven electric buses in service,
25% of Wichita's Transit Department
buses are electric and by 2032 they
are aiming for 100%. In November
2021, Wichita's Transit Department
applied for federal funding to replace
more buses in their fleet at the end
of their useful life with Proterra
buses. The city's transit department
is a member of the American Public
Transportation Association, Kansas
Public Transportation Association,
and South West Transit Association.
The department is using these
partners to stay up to date with
upcoming federal funding sources
that may suit their needs.
Lessons Learned and
Strategies for Replication
The takeaways from the City of Wichita's
successful fleet electrifiction project
can be summarized as setting clear
priorities, strategic utilization of funds,
and partner engagement. Their work
is an excellent example of the unique
role that transit departments can play
in initiating sustainability projects.
Municipal electrification initiatives
can include a wide range of projects
and that is reflected in the anticipated
grant funding. Funding is available
for developing new ways of reusing
batteries, innovative connectivity
solutions to integrate transportation
into cities, and finding ways to make
transportation more resilient. This variety
allows each city and transit department
to consider their unique needs and
present novel ideas to serve their
community. Municipal electrification
is the first step in many widespread
electrification projects, increasing
familiarity with electric vehicles can
help promote private adoption leading
to additional community benefits.
The Importance of Long -Term
Planning and Priorities: The City
of Wichita's Transit Department's
staff emphasized the importance
of developing priorities first and
constructing a long-term plan
that considers a city's needs and
capabilities. They noted, "We were
most successful writing grants not
for what it's going to do today but
what it is going to do in 20 years,"
highlighting how the individual grant
would fit into a much larger mission.
Wichita's Transit Department has set
the ambitious goal of replacing all
diesel vehicles by 2032, and this long-
term priority is clear in all their grant
applications.
21
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Staff recommends that cities and transit
agencies consider what they see for their
organization in five, ten, and twenty years
and write their grants to that narrative.
Wichita's Transit Department built
partnerships, set priorities, and developed
plans first, then as funding became
available applied for grants that would
allow them to reach their goals.
Connect Project with Broader Goals:
Staff also encourages city transit
departments to connect their projects
to each other, to larger city and state
initiatives, and to local organizations'
goals, emphasizing that "linking makes
sense to people," and funders want
to fund projects that are supported,
thought out, and likely to succeed.
The new Wichita Transit Center is an
excellent example of connectivity, as it
combines parking, private and public
vehicle charging, bike storage, and public
transportation. The center contributes
to the transit department's goal of
electrification but also the city and tourist
organizations' goals to improve the
experience of downtown Wichita. The
center will be powered by solar panels
on the roof, incorporating another city
sustainability initiative into the project.
By emphasizing shared goals, Wichita's
Transit Department was able to prove
to funders that their projects would be
supported and maintained by their city.
Projects connected to broader goals are
more likely to have community support,
assuring funders that the projects will not
only be completed, but provide benefits
for years to come.
• Develop Forward Thinking Projects:
Staff noted that unique applications are
successful applications because, "nobody
wants to spend money on the same old."
At the time of their first application
Wichita's Transit Department was the only
agency in Kansas with electric vehicles.
As electric vehicle adoption has become
more widespread, the City of Wichita's
Transit Department has still found ways to
present unique ideas. Staff emphasized,
"to write a grant for forward thinking
technology you need to have forward
thinking plans." Staff encourages city
transit departments to meet innovative
technology with innovative service
delivery. Consider new ways to store,
charge, use, and integrate electric
vehicles into your city. Something like
the electric trolley buses takes the
existing technology of electric buses and
applies it to a unique service. Successful
applications demonstrate, in detail, how
new technology can allow a city transit
department to provide new services to
their patrons.
City Specific Scope: Staff attribute their
grant success to applications that show an
understanding of the City of Wichita's size
and capacities. With Proterra as a partner,
Wichita's Transit Department had access
to their knowledgebase on available
vehicles and the complex and widespread
benefits of the technology. With the help
of Proterra staff, the Transit Department
took this information and tailored it
to a plan and scope that fit Wichita
specifically. The applications submitted
by the City of Wichita considered the
size and layout of the city, the existing
and needed infrastructure of the city, the
demographic using and not using their
public buses, and the unique needs of
the citizens. The applications detailed the
intended use of grant funding as well as
the funding their city and partners had
already committed to provide. The transit
department was conscious of long-term
resources, budget, and needs and what
scope of development it was realistically
ready for.
For example, the City of Wichita's Transit
Department is not applying to replace
all their electric buses at once, they are
instead applying for grants as their buses
reach the end of their useful life.
22
In considering what buses would work
for their transit needs, the administration
considered that their bus service is not 24
hours and they would be able to charge
vehicles overnight. Therefore, charging
infrastructure solely in the bus barn is
sufficient. Similarly, as the new Transit
Center was designed, it was with Wichita's
size in mind.
Strategic Partnerships: Building
a coalition of likely and unlikely
partnerships helps prove feasibility and
support to funders. Wichita's Transit
Department staff encourage all city
transit departments to reach out to
their local FTA representatives and bring
them on to their team. With upcoming
federal funding, it is important that
transit departments build their priorities,
plan, and partnerships now then keep
an eye out for the grants that will help
accomplish those goals.
The City of Wichita's Transit Department
positioned for grants by collaborating
with numerous organizations that would
have a stake in their work. By including
medical professionals, local organizations,
tourist groups, universities and many
other community representatives in the
applications Wichita's Transit Department
was able to position their project as a
popular initiative that would greatly
impact the community. Collaborating
with the local FTA representatives and
government officials at all levels helped
No
ensure that the proposed project was
practical and reflected the priorities of
the agencies whose support it required.
Lastly, bringing on technical collaborators
early on resulted in a plan that was
as advanced and innovative as the
technology it would require.
Resources for Further
Reading
To learn more about FTA Low or no
Emission Bus Program, visit: htt s:
www.transit.dot.goy/lowno
To learn more about the City of
Wichita's Transportation Department,
visit: https://www.wichitatransit.org
AboutUs/Pages/Electric-Buses.aspx
To learn more about Wichita's upcoming
transportation hub, visit: https://www.ksn.
com/news/local/wichita-will-receive-14-2-
million -grant -to -replace -transit -center/
Contact Information
CITY OF WICHITA
Contact Name:
Michael Tann
Transit Director
Phone: (316) 352.4805
Email: MTann&wichita.gov
23
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Projects
Department Battery Material Processing Grant Program: For battery recycling research,
of Energy to assist state battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing programs, for
the implementation or establishment of a system to collect used batteries.
Environmental Clean School Bus Program: For replacement of existing
Protection school buses with zero emission and clean school buses.
Agency
U.S. Department Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement
of Transportation Program: For programs to reduce pollution and relieve
congestion to meet air quality standards.
Transit Infrastructure Grants: For the purchase or lease of zero -
emission and low -emission transit buses, including acquisition,
construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
Carbon Reduction Program: For transportation electrification
including public transportation and Bus Rapid Transit
intelligent transportation system improvements.
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient,
and Cost Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: For state
projects to improve resiliency of transportation infrastructure.
Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program: For
construction of active transportation that connects people to
public transportation, businesses, workplaces, schools, residences,
recreation areas, and other community activity centers.
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation
Grant Program: Projects that incorporate innovative transportation
technologies: uses of data, coordinated automation, connected
vehicles, and intelligent sensor -based infrastructure.
Surface Transportation Private Activity Bonds: The cap on
bonds will increase from 15 to 30 billion, this allows counties to
enter additional public -private partnerships to supplement further
public transportation projects with private investment.
Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: For electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, vehicle -to -grid infrastructure, installation,
and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
24
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Effective Planning
for Spending
Sustainability
Funds
Climate Protection Fund and
Community -Driven Sustainability
Planning (Denver, CO)
Effective planning and decision -making
processes are foundational to implementing
widespread and impactful change. As
federal funding from the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) becomes
available to states and localities, it will
be vital for cities to demonstrate existing
plans to access specific project -based or
competitive funding streams or utilize
other funding streams that provide support
for initiating a plan. Some grants also
require a local match to leverage funding.
To meet these requirements, cities must
have a plan for allocating local funds
toward sustainability and climate change
projects. The following case study highlights
the City and County of Denver and its
approach to strategic planning, goal setting,
stakeholder engagement, and innovative
creation and use of local funding to meet
its climate change and sustainability goals.
Overview
The City and County of Denver has been a
leader in the fight against climate change
for over a decade. Its first comprehensive
Climate Action Plan (CAP) was released
in 2007 with subsequent updates in
2015, and 2018, and the city recently
updated its climate goal to achieve a
100% emissions reduction by 2040.
Development of the first CAP and its
updates involved diverse stakeholder
engagement, a thorough review of
science -based targets, and identification
of numerous strategies to help Denver
establish long-term goals and pave a
pathway towards achieving them. To
strengthen the city's position and guide
impactful policy changes, Mayor Michael
Hancock and the City Council created the
Office of Climate Action, Sustainability,
and Resiliency (CASR) in 2020. Though
Denver previously had a small Office
of Sustainability, the newly established
CASK office has increased authority and
budget to develop policy changes and
implement strategies to meet Denver's
climate action and sustainability goals.
CASK is charged with ensuring equity,
resiliency, and economic vitality are
promoted and strengthened through
each of the city's sustainability and climate
endeavors. Recent initiatives have included
identification of priority municipal facilities
for electric vehicle charging station
installation and adoption of a building
performance requirement that will reduce
emissions from existing buildings by at
least 80% by 2040. Additionally, CASK is
responsible for overseeing development
of the foundational investment strategy
and resulting Five -Year Plan for Denver's
new Climate Protection Fund (CPF).
25
Funding & Project Elements
The CPF is a taxpayer -supported fund
dedicated solely to climate action, and it has
no sunset. Creating the CPF resulted from
community advocacy, decisive leadership,
diverse stakeholder engagement, and
voter support. The CPF's origins trace back
to a 2019 ballot initiative led by Resilient
Denver, a local grassroots organization,
which would have levied a tax on electricity
and natural gas use to fund climate change
initiatives and was projected to raise $30
million to $40 million per year. The Mayor
and City Council believed a tax on utilities
would be too regressive on low-income
residents and small business, and instead
proposed establishing the CASK office
to consolidate and manage the city's
climate action policies and programs,
and Resilient Denver withdrew its ballot
initiative. They also proposed forming a
Climate Action Task Force, a group of 25
community representatives, to evaluate
less regressive measures to raise funding
for climate and resiliency initiatives
and provide other recommendations
for strengthening Denver's climate
change work with a focus on equity.
The task force began meeting in January
2020 and provided its recommendations
to the Mayor in July, one of which was
the .25% sales tax. The Mayor and City
Council agreed, noting that a sales tax in
Denver is less regressive on lower -income
residents because nearly 65% of all sales
tax revenue is generated by visitors to
the city. The sales tax ballot measure was
overwhelmingly passed by voters during
the November 2020 election, and is the
financial basis of the CPF, which is expected
to raise up to $40 million each year.
The ordinance that created the CPF required
CASK to develop a foundational investment
strategy and Five -Year Plan for how to utilize
the funds within one year, and the plan was
delivered to City Council in November.
Formulating the Five -Year Plan and broader
investment strategy for the CPF involved
extensive collaboration between CASK and
the city's Sustainability Advisory Council
(SAC). The SAC is a diverse group of 120
community representatives organized
into six sub -committees and provides
advice and recommendations to CASK.
While the Climate Action Task Force was
temporary, the SAC is permanent. The SAC
sub -committees are: Buildings & Homes;
Community Adaptation, Resiliency, and
Environmental Justice; Energy; Resource
Management; Science & Research; and
Sustainable Transportation. Members of
each sub -committee are representative
of Denver's diverse population and
include people of color, individuals who
identify as LBGTQ+, renters, homeowners,
people of all income levels, and people
with various industry and community
interests. These SAC committees
convened over 40 times during 2021
to provide invaluable input to CASK for
development of the CPF Five -Year Plan.
Community Impacts
The CPF will fund high impact projects
rooted in sustainability and resilience
and aims to spend at least 50% of funds
to directly benefit under-resourced and
vulnerable communities, as required
by the ordinance. The following
project types are qualified for CPF
funds by the governing ordinance:3
3 Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (2021). Climate Protection Fund Five -Year Plan. https://denvergov.org/files/assets/
public/climate-action/cpf_fiveyearplan_final.pdf.
26
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
■ Job creation through local workforce
training and new careers for under-
resourced individuals in renewable
and clean energy technology and
management of natural resources
• Increased investments in solar power,
battery storage and other renewable
energy technologies
• Neighborhood -based environmental and
climate justice programs
• Adaptation and resiliency programs that
help vulnerable communities prepare for
a changing climate
• Programs and services that provide
affordable, clean, safe, and reliable
transportation choices, like walking,
biking, transit, electric vehicles, and
neighborhood -scale transit
■ Upgrade the energy efficiency of homes,
offices, and industry to reduce their
carbon footprint, utility bills, and indoor air
pollution
What's Next
Denver's commitment to planning for
and allocating local funding to implement
sustainable and equitable projects
strongly position the city for approved and
anticipated federal funding opportunities.
Some federal funding streams require a
local match to leverage funding; others
incentivize applicants who are making
significant progress towards goals such
as meeting greenhouse gas emission
reduction targets or net -zero emissions.
The City of Denver's history of strategic
planning, project prioritization, and
allocating of local funds to sustainable
and equitable projects will allow it to
act quickly to leverage federal funding
streams unlocked by the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
For example, CASK assembled an Electric
Vehicle (EV) Working Group because EVs
and EV charging infrastructure are a major
focus of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (IIJA) and vital to reaching
municipal decarbonization goals. Similar
to work conducted in Roseville and
Sacramento, CA (discussed in the case
study on Municipal Utility Planning for
Widespread Vehicle Electrification), the
Working Group conducted a targeted
analysis to provide the data and information
necessary to enable the city to make smart
and quick investments related to EVs.
Specifically, the Working Group developed
screening criteria to review municipal
facility parking and electrical infrastructure
and identify areas with the lowest barriers
to construction of EV charging stations.
The EV working group also identified
six locations for equitable EV charging
station projects in the Right of Way.
Other areas of focus for the CASK team
are zoning and building codes, and
transportation policies. These areas can
advance climate change and equity goals
by influencing equitable development,
access to resources such as green space
and walkable mixed -use developments, and
modernizing codes and policies to align with
local and federal equity and climate change
goals. Based on the priorities established
by recent federal policy, it's likely most
new and future federal funding programs
will require applicants to demonstrate
positive and equitable community impact.
Therefore, modernizing development codes
and policies to advance equity and climate
change goals can help pre -position a city for
new and future federal funding programs.
Another stakeholder engagement
process, the Energize Denver Task
Force, was originally established in 2016
and recommended a benchmarking
and building performance policy,
and the city proceeded to create the
benchmarking requirement.
27
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
This task force was re-established in
early 2021 to recommend a new building
performance policy for existing buildings
that promotes equity while guiding Denver
to its climate action goal of net zero energy
by 2040. As with each of Denver's task forces
and councils, the Energize Denver Task
Force represented diverse stakeholders
from various industries including real estate,
energy, labor, workforce development,
affordable housing, small business,
resident advocacy, solar, energy efficiency,
and environmental advocacy. After eight
months of deliberation and community
outreach, the Task Force recommended a
new ordinance for Building Electrification
and Efficiency, which was approved by
City Council in November 2021. The new
ordinance requires buildings larger than
25,000 square feet to achieve a 30%
reduction in energy use by 2030, with
interim goals for 2024 and 2027. It also
requires gradual electrification within the
built environment and phasing out natural
gas space and water heating equipment
as it becomes cost effective. CASK will
provide extensive support and CPF-
funded incentives for building owners to
comply with the new ordinance, especially
in under-resourced communities.
Incentives will be available to all buildings
through early 2024 to encourage early
adopters, then will shift to only those
serving under-resourced communities.
This is a major step for Denver to
reach its net zero energy goals, while
advancing equity throughout the city.
Lessons Learned and
Strategies for Replication
A key theme that drives Denver's climate
action and sustainability work is diverse
stakeholder and community engagement.
The CASK team recommends time -
limited and scope -focused task forces to
provide targeted recommendations to
city leadership, who can then evaluate
and prioritize recommendations for
policy changes and implementation.
Task forces should represent the
diversity of residents and business
interests, especially those which will be
directly impacted by new policies.
This process of stakeholder engagement is
beneficial in many ways, such as allowing
any potential controversy or concerns to
surface early in the evaluation process.
Early stakeholder involvement also allows
the city to align with the community and
ensure equity is considered throughout
the entirety of planning, goal setting,
and implementation. Denver's deliberate
and focused stakeholder and community
engagement strategy is foundational
to creating and allocating local funding
to initiatives that align with both the
city and broader community's goals.
Funding climate change and sustainability
projects through a local tax requires a
significant amount of political willpower.
However, as demonstrated by Denver and
Portland, which established the nation's
first taxpayer -supported fund dedicated
to climate action,4 it is possible and can
accelerate the path to reach long-term
goals. Pre -allocated local funds and planned
projects bode well for grant applications
that require a local funding match,
especially for grants that are competitive.
4 City of Portland (2021). Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) https://www.portland.gov/bps/cleanenergy.
28
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
If gaining voter approval for a new local
tax to fund sustainability projects is not
politically feasible, municipalities might
consider other policy mechanisms to enable
thoughtful, sustainable development.
Such policy measures signal to federal
funding agencies that they share the same
investment priorities and may increase
the likelihood of receiving federal funding.
For example, the Building Electrification
and Efficiency ordinance amends the
Denver building code to require energy
efficiency and carbon reduction in building
systems, and the financial incentives
through the CPF will assist building
owners in meeting the requirements. In
2022, Denver's energy code update will
consider adding net zero requirements for
new construction. Similar amendments
could be made to city zoning codes and
transportation policies and further enable
sustainable and equitable development.
Develop a Diverse Stakeholder and
Community Engagement Process:
Comprehensive city planning should
not happen in a vacuum. To develop a
holistic and equitable plan, a city should
develop a diverse stakeholder and
community engagement process for
early and frequent engagement. This may
include establishing groups of community
representatives, either through time -
limited and scope -focused task forces
or more permanent community
member councils. Encouraging diverse
representation of backgrounds and
viewpoints in community engagement
activities is essential to guide planning
and strategies toward equitable goals.
Leverage Local Codes and Policies to
Advance Equity and Sustainability:
Cities wanting to generate large impact
using less political capital can look
toward local codes and policies. City staff
can evaluate local codes and policies to
identify opportunities to advance equity
and sustainability goals.
Areas such as building and zoning codes
have tremendous potential to advance
goals toward climate adaptation or carbon
neutrality, while demonstrating a positive
impact on under-resourced communities.
Develop City Working Groups to Plan
for Anticipated Federal Funding: With
an onslaught of federal dollars directed
towards a variety of programs, cities can
prepare by developing focused working
groups of city staff members to plan for
anticipated federal funding.
Once a working group is established, a
set of criteria can be developed to select
and prioritize projects for anticipated
funding programs. This will provide a
competitive edge to act quickly once
funding becomes available, especially for
competitive grants.
Resources for Further
Reading
To learn about Denver's 80 x 50
Climate Action Plan, visit: https://www.
denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/
Porta Is/771/documents/EO/80x50/80x50
CI i matePla n_FI NAL_7.16.18.pdf
To read the five-year plan for Denver's
Climate Protection Fund, visit: htt s:
denvergov.org/files/assets/public/climate-
action/cpf fiveyearplan_final.pdf
29
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Climate and Sustainability Goals
U.S. Department Cost -Effective Code Implementation for Efficiency
of Energy and Resilience: To enable sustained cost-effective
implementation of updated building energy codes.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program:
Financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero -emission
transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant
Program: For commercial energy audits, residential energy audits,
or energy upgrades or retrofits, as established by state programs.
U.S. Department Grants for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (Clean Corridors
of Transportation Program): For accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure,
hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and
natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel
corridors or in certain other locations that will be accessible to all drivers.
Carbon Reduction Program: For transportation electrification
including public transportation and Bus Rapid Transit
intelligent transportation system improvements.
Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: For electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, vehicle -to -grid infrastructure, installation,
and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities
30
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Embedding Equity,
Community
Benefit, and Job
Creation into
Climate Initiatives
(New Orleans, LA; Cambridge,
MA; and Miami, FL)
The effects of climate change are and will
continue to be felt disproportionally by some
regions and communities within the United
States. Research shows that low-income,
disabled, elderly, and communities of color
are more vulnerable to devastating climate -
related risks, which will exacerbate existing
or create new inequities. Climate -related
risks range from extreme weather events
(e.g., storms, flooding, heat waves, drought,
wildfires) and climate -related health
issues (e.g., infectious diseases, respiratory
illnesses, worsened mental health), to rising
utility, food, or water costs. However, cities
are increasingly taking actionable steps
to center equity in initiatives to mitigate
climate change impacts and improve
resilience, such as through bolstering
their local economy and improving the
health and well-being of their most
vulnerable communities. While planning
and implementation costs of new climate
initiatives can be daunting, a central theme
to many of the anticipated new funding
programs will be a focus on demonstrating
community impact and intentionality
around creating equitable outcomes.
While recently emphasized in federal
priorities, clear demonstration of
community benefit is not new to
municipal government -led projects to
mitigate or adapt to climate impacts.
Example initiatives from, New Orleans, LA;
Cambridge, MA; and Miami, FL demonstrate
how cities can either proactively position
themselves for new and expanded federal
programs or leverage federal funds to
positively impact their communities:
The New Orleans Gentilly Resilience
District (GRD) was established through
the Department of Housing and Urban
Development's (HUD) National Disaster
Resilience Competition (NDRC) and
incorporates creative land and water
management strategies to mitigate flood
risks and create jobs in an extremely
vulnerable and low-lying district.
The Cambridge Housing Authority
(CHA) leveraged American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant funds to
transform a large, aging public housing
building serving low-income elderly and
disabled residents into a healthy and
efficient building, setting a standard for
future modernization of the remaining
buildings in their portfolio.
The City of Miami's comprehensive
strategic planning process and focus on
green job creation helped forge a more
resilient and equitable city and strongly
positioned the city for forthcoming
federal programs. The basis for these
efforts is set forth in the analysis and
actions contained in Miami Forever
Carbon Neutral Plan: Growing the New
Green Economy.
The overarching goal of this case study
is to provide insights into initiatives cities
can launch now to better articulate the
positive impacts of climate -minded
investments on their communities or to
inspire communities to design projects with
multiple community benefits in mind.
31
Gentilly Resilience District
(New Orleans, LA)
Overview
New Orleans is a city on the front lines of
the climate crisis. With much of the city
below sea level, it's extremely vulnerable to
flooding from extreme storms and sea level
rise. Over 25% of the population is under the
poverty line and faces aggravated climate
risk due to their financial status. Due to
this high level of vulnerability and inequity,
the city has committed to aggressive
mitigation and adaptation efforts to create
a more resilient and equitable city.
A shining example of the city's resilience
efforts is the Gentilly Resilience District
(GRID). The GRID is the nation's first -ever
resilience district and was established to
address damage from Hurricane Isaac
in 2012 and increase resiliency against
future natural hazards. The GIRD is low-
lying, has extreme flooding risk, and half
its residents are low or moderate income
Design of the GRID was based on the 2015
Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan and
the city's resilience strategy, Resilient New
Orleans, which identified the city's climate
risks and vulnerabilities, as well as strategies
to increase the community's ability to adapt
and thrive during changing conditions.
Physical design elements of the
GRID include innovative stormwater
management installations and
recreational/gathering spaces; the GRID
also established new social programming,
such as workforce development programs
and other educational opportunities
for the community. It is expected to
be a model for how other areas of
the city can address land and water
management in a way that provides
multiple co -benefits for the community.
The design process was driven by extensive
community engagement. Each element of
the GRID incorporated community feedback
from media events, visioning sessions,
round tables, design workshops, and other
activities. All engagement activities were
designed to heighten project awareness,
solicit feedback, and build ownership in
the community. The community was given
a strong, authoritative voice in making
decisions about the project's final design
to ensure it would maximize community
benefit and ultimately allow people,
culture, and infrastructure to thrive.
32
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Funding
The city pursued funding for the GRID
through HUD's National Disaster
Resilience Competition (NDRC) in 2015. The
competition had a two-part application
process. In the first phase, applicants were
asked to describe its community's risks,
vulnerabilities, and opportunities to increase
resilience. Top scoring applicants were
invited to submit a description of projects to
address the matters discussed in their initial
submittal. Utilizing the information found
in the Greater New Orleans Urban Water
Plan and Resilient New Orleans, particularly
that relating to stormwater management
solutions and resiliency opportunities, the
city successfully crafted an application
to fund the design and development of
the GRID, including pre -award costs.
Program/
Opportunity
Housing and Urban Natural Disaster
Development Resilience
Competition
The city is supplementing its NDRC award
with funds from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency's (FEMA's) Public
Assistance Program to repair GRID roads
and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
to construct a retention basin system. In
total, the city secured $166 million in federal
funding for the GRID, as shown in Table S.
Amount Project Components
$141,300,000 Green & blue
stormwater
infrastructure
• Canal improvements
■ Workforce Training
programs
• Recreational facilities
■ Educational
programming
• Energy resilience
efforts
■ Monitoring
Federal Emergency Public Assistance $11,670,000 Street repair and
Management Agency improvement
Federal Emergency Hazard Mitigation
Management Agency Grant Program
Table 5: Federal Funds Utilized for the Gentilly Resilience District
$13,000,000 Retention basin
system
33
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
The city's initial NDRC application was
strengthened by its comprehensive project
financing plan. The city was able to show
more than $238 million in direct leverage
from FEMA grants, city funds, Sewerage
and Water Board capital funds, and
program income from the New Orleans
Redevelopment Authority. Additionally, nine
indirect leverage sources, including partner
assistance and city resources, accounted
for another $126 million in leverage dollars.
At the time of application, the city estimated
that federally funded construction would
be completed by 2022, however, due
to COVID-19 and other impacts, several
components of the projects are taking
longer to complete than anticipated.
To comply with HUD'sfunding
requirements, the city was required to
submit a quarterly performance report
throughout the grant period. These
performance reports documented project
progress, budget spent, leverage spending,
and key performance metrics such as
gallons of stormwater stored, amount of
new and improved greenspace, number
of beneficiaries, and trees planted. These
performance reports are used to track the
project's overall performance toward its
environmental, social, and governance goals.
Project Elements
Projects and programs within the GRID
are designed to adhere to the following
strategies: community adaptation,
workforce development, reliable and smart
systems, and urban water infrastructure. A
sample of GRD projects is provided below.
COMMUNITY ADAPTATION PROGRAM
Homeowners earning less than 80% of the
area median household income may be
eligible to receive up to $25,000 for design
and construction of green stormwater
infrastructure improvements to their
homes. This program is administered by the
New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and
is expected to benefit up to 200 households.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The first workforce training cohort of
GRID residents launched in December
2021. The $3 million program provides
training on design, construction, and
maintenance of green infrastructure
and water management and will
create jobs for program participants to
build and maintain GRID projects.
RELIABLE ENERGY & SMART SYSTEMS
The city is developing a microgrid
project to increase energy resilience and
redundancy at critical water infrastructure
sites. This project has an estimated
construction budget of $5.7 million.
BLUE & GREEN CORRIDORS
New Orleans is famous for its neutral
grounds, or strips of land between traffic
lanes of major boulevards. In portions of
the GRD, neutral grounds will include
waterways to channel stormwater,
walking and biking trails, and public
gathering spaces to enhance stormwater
management and provide recreational
activities. These streetscapes utilized
approximately $28 million in federal funding
and are expected to be complete in 2022.
MIRABEAU WATER GARDEN
The 25-acre greenspace will store up to 10
million gallons of stormwater through a
detention basin, bioswales, native plantings,
and other features. The greenspace will
also provide educational and recreational
opportunities. It is estimated the project
utilized $23 million in federal funding.
ST. ANTHONY GREEN STREETS
This project will redesign six streets and
two playgrounds within a 15-block area
to include stormwater management
features that can be replicated across the
city. The project received almost $35.75
million in FEMA and NDRC funding.
34
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
LONDON AVENUE CANAL -
PUBLIC ART / PLACEMAKING
In partnership with the Arts Council of New
Orleans, the city held a competition for art
installations along the London Canal and
other GRID water features. Five winning
installations, designed to enhance the
public's understanding of Living with Water,
were selected for placement in 2020.
Community Impacts
The GRID project is designed to reduce
neighborhood flooding, address hurricane
damage, and build community resilience
to withstand future disasters and ongoing
stressors. Residents are expected to
experience public health co -benefits
including a reduction in allergen- and
insect -borne illnesses resulting from
flood events, improvements to air and
water quality due to additional green
spaces, native plants, and trees, urban
heat mitigation through additional
tree canopy, and increased fitness
from access to trails and other outdoor
recreational opportunities. These
benefits to physical health also tend to
contribute to improved mental health.
Furthermore, investing in community
amenities and mitigating stormwater
flooding and resulting damage are likely
to lead to increased property values and
spur additional revitalization efforts and
economic development. A skilled workforce
will also attract economic development and
contribute to the prosperity of residents.
Finally, the GRID will improve the district's
sense of community, an element of
resilience that is often overlooked.
Improvements and amenities will build
a sense of pride in the community, and
access to property for recreation and
education will further foster that sense of
community, connection, and cohesiveness.
WHAT'S NEXT
The city plans to ask for a grant extension
from HUD due to construction delays
primarily caused by COVID-19. With
an extension, project partners can
complete ongoing projects and the
community can begin to capture
the projects' associated benefits.
Although the projects have been capitalized
upon proven pilots and existing city efforts,
realizing the benefits over an area the size
of the GRID will give community leaders
and residents additional confidence
to replicate similar projects across the
city. As such, the city plans to monitor
upcoming federal funding opportunities
to expand upon the success of the GRID.
Resources for Further
Reading
To learn about the Gentilly Resilience
District, visit: https://www.nola.goy/resilience-
sustainabilitylaentilly-resilience-district/
To view the New Orleans Climate Change &
Health Report, visit: https://www.nola.gov/
getattachment/Health/Climate-Change-(I/
Planning-Tools-and-Data/Climate-Change-
and-Health-Report-2018-Final.pdf/
To read Climate Action for a Resilient
New Orleans, visit: https://nola.goy/nola/
media/CI i mate-Action/CI i mate-Action-
for-a-Resilient-New-Orleans.pdf
To learn about the GRD's Engagement
and Communications Plan, visit: htt s:
nola.gov/getattachment/Resilient-New-
Orleans/GRD_EngageCommsStratecgy_
U pdatedAug2020-O8242020.
pdf/?lang=en-US
35
CONTACT INFORMATION
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS
Contact Name:
Meagan M. Williams, P.E
Stormwater Program Manager
Department of Public Works
Phone: (0): SO4-6S8-8420 (C): SO4-729-961S
Email: memwilliamso nola.gov
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Projects
Department Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program:
of Energy Financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero -emission
transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs.
Energy Auditor Training Grant Program: To train individuals to conduct
energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant
Program: For commercial energy audits, residential energy audits,
or energy upgrades or retrofits, as established by state programs.
U.S. Stormwater Control Infrastructure Project Grants: To carry out
Environmental stormwater control infrastructure projects that incorporate new
Protection and emerging, but proven, stormwater control technologies.
Agency
U.S. Department Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement
of Transportation Program: For programs to reduce pollution and relieve
congestion to meet air quality standards.
Carbon Reduction Program: Encompasses many programs including
transportation electrification programs that promote EV adoption.
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient,
and Cost Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: For state
projects to improve resiliency of transportation infrastructure.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
36
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Lyndon B. Johnson
Apartments Energy
Retrofit and
Modernization
(Cambridge, MA)
Overview
The Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA)
was established in 1935 to support low-
income families, elders, and disabled
individuals through the development,
management, and administration of
public housing. It currently supports more
than 8,000 households (approximately
10% of the city's population) living
in over 3,000 housing units.5
In the early 2000s, CHA developed a
comprehensive energy tracking program
and established an energy baseline for
each building in their portfolio —in the years
since, this has enabled CHA to identify low -
hanging fruit for efficiency improvements as
its infrastructure has begun to age, and plan
for more costly renovations and equipment
retrofits to address deferred maintenance
and bring buildings up to modern building
codes and energy standards. CHA has
since leveraged multiple local, state,
federal, and private funding streams to
fund renovation and retrofit projects
and provide higher quality and more
energy efficient housing for its residents.
The agency's first major project was the
Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Apartments
Energy Retrofit and Modernization.
Funding
In 2009, the AR RA allocated $13.6 billion
to HUD, including $4 billion toward the
Public Housing Capital Fund (PHCF) and
$250 million to the Green Retrofit Program.6
To access these funds, CHA was required
to show the LBJ project would result in
transformative change and adhere to the
Enterprise Green Communities Standard,
which is a green building standard
developed to provide energy efficient
and healthy affordable housing.' CHA's
energy tracking program allowed it to
clearly demonstrate the project upheld
funding requirements, and the agency was
awarded $10 million from the HUD PHCF
Substantial Rehabilitation competitive
grant. The grant covered approximately a
third of the total project construction cost,
and approximately 20 percent of the total
cost of $47.2 million; the remaining $37.2
million was funded with a combination
of $21.4 million in Low -Income Housing
Tax Credits and $15.8 million in CHA funds
(combination of capital funds and HUD
Moving To Work funds), as shown in Table 6.
Project Elements
The LBJ building is a 177-unit high-rise
apartment complex for low-income
elderly and disabled residents. The original
building was constructed in the 1970s and
did not have central air-conditioning and
had very expensive electric heat. Through
CHA's energy tracking and benchmarking
program, it was identified as a top priority
for an energy retrofit and modernization.
S Cambridge Housing Authority (n.d.).About the Cambridge Housing Authority. https://cambridge-housing.org/about/
6 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2017). HUD's Green and Energy Retrofit Assessment Key Findings and Policy
Implications. https://www.huduser.gov//portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-research-061917.html
7 Enterprise Green Communities (n.d.).2020 Enterprises Green Communities Criteria: The Standard for Sustainable Futures. https://www.
greencommunitiesonline.org/
37
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Housing and Urban
Development
Program/
Opportunity Amount Project Components
Public Housing
Capital Fund
(PHCF)
Substantial
Rehabilitation
Competitive
Grant
$10,000,000 ■ Construction
Housing and Urban Low -Income $ 21,400,000 Construction
Development Housing Tax
Credits
Housing and Urban Moving to Work $15,800,000 Soft costs
Development & CHA Demonstration
Program & CHA
Capital Fund
Table 6: Funding Utilized for the LBJ Apartments Energy Retrofit and Modernization
Construction began in August 2010 and was
completed in October 2013. The revitalization
effort showcases on -site renewable
generation and an innovative solar heating
system that covers a 12-floor area on the
south -side of the building. This solar heating
system filters and pre -heats ventilation air,
resulting in better indoor air quality and
drastically reducing winter energy use.8
In addition to the solar heating system,
the renovation installed a high -efficiency
gas central heating system, central
cooling, and improved ventilation with
energy recovery units. Residents also
received drastically improved common
spaces such as community rooms,
courtyards, parking, and walkways.
Community Impacts
Since its official re -opening in 2013, LBJ
exceeded the original 50% energy savings
target, maintaining a substantial energy
savings of 64% while achieving 44%
onsite renewable energy production,
40% reduction in emissions, and 60%
reduction in cost —in excess of $250,000
per year. LBJ originally scored 1 out of 100
for EnergySTAR9 and improved to a 95
immediately following the retrofit. LBJ's
most recent EnergySTAR is an 87, which is
an indication of peer building's performance
improving, since LBJ's energy performance
continues to exceed original expectations.
Outside of energy -related benefits, the
project significantly improved living
conditions for residents and building
redevelopment and construction
injected $57,719,390 into the local
economy through job creation.
8 Matrix Energy, Inc. (2015). Case Study: Lyndon B. Johnson Public Housing Complex in Cambridge. AltEnergyMag. https //www
a Itenergymag.com/article/2015/04/case-study-lyndon-b-iohnson-public-housing-complex-in-cambridge/19781/
9 EnergySTAR scores are indicative of a building's energy performance in comparison to peer buildings. A score of 75 or better
indicates a building is in the top 25th percentile.
38
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
What's Next
The initial success of the LBJ retrofit and
continued energy savings was a catalyst
for CHA's ongoing initiative to retrofit and
modernize the remaining buildings in its
portfolio. Since 2013, CHA has retrofitted
1,177 units across 11 buildings through a
combination of HUD's Rental Assistance
Demonstration (PAD), funding for Section
8 conversion, debt, and equity. Like the
LBJ project, each project adhered to
the Green Communities Standard.
CHA continues to track energy use across
its entire portfolio and has developed
shovel -ready projects plans for targeted
funding streams when they become
available. Ongoing planning, tracking,
and maintaining a track -record of success
will allow CHA to continue to leverage
diverse funding streams to provide more
sustainable and higher -quality housing
for its low-income, elderly, and disabled
residents. In addition to continuing its
work to modernize and decrease the
carbon footprint of its portfolio, CHA's staff
is supporting and sharing best practices
with other local housing authorities.
Resources for Further
Reading
To learn about completed construction by
the Cambridge Housing Authority, visit:
https://cambridge-housing.org/departments/
plan n i ng/com pleted-construction/
CONTACT INFORMATION
CAMBRIDGE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Contact Name:
Margaret Moran
Director of Planning and Development
Phone: (617) 520.6251
Email: mmoran&cambridge-housing.org
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Projects
U.S. Department Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
of Energy Program: Financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero -
emission transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant
Program: For commercial energy audits, residential energy audits,
or energy upgrades or retrofits, as established by state programs.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
39
Miami Forever Carbon
Neutral: Growing the New
Green Economy
(Miami, FL)
Overview
As a city extremely susceptible to climate
change risks like sea -level rise (and resulting
flooding), extreme storms, and high
heat, Miami has taken bold steps to plan
and implement impactful initiatives by
transforming climate risk into opportunities
to create a more sustainable, resilient,
and equitable city. Amongst those steps,
the City of Miami committed to a goal
of reaching net zero emissions by 2050,
with an interim target of 60% emissions
reduction from a 2018 baseline by 2035.
The city has undertaken several
overarching planning efforts relating
to its climate goals, including:
Resilient305: A resilience strategy plan
created in 2019 in partnership with Miami -
Dade County and the City of Miami
Beach. Resilient305 contains actions and
opportunities for collaboration designed
to address community resilience in the
area.
■ Miami Forever Climate Ready: An
adaption strategy for preparation,
adaptation, and mitigation of climate risk
published in 2020.
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral: City of
Miami Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
and Pathway to Carbon Neutrality by
2050: The Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Plan provides a roadmap for reaching the
city's carbon goals and was adopted by
the City Commission in November 2021. It
builds off, and complements, the planning
efforts described above.
The City of Miami developed the
Miami Forever Carbon Neutral Plan
with support and shared resources
from C40 Cities, a global network of
mayors committed to tackling the
climate crisis. The Miami Forever Carbon
Neutral Plan has five primary goals:
1. G
- Getting Around Miami
2. R -
Renewable Energy
3. E -
Electric Vehicles
4. E -Energy
Efficiency
S. N
- New Green Economy
Central to each of the five goals is a focus
on equity, job creation, and economic
growth, which stems from a supporting
analysis and action plan developed in 2021
entitled "Miami Forever Carbon Neutral
Plan: Growing the New Green Economy."
Known as the Growing the Green Economy
Plan, this supporting report analyzes the
city's current green economy and how it
can expand and introduce new benefits
through strategic capital investment
and job creation. Core to the report is
recognition that climate justice inequities
and opportunities to combat climate
change are inextricably linked to economic
growth and expansion of green job
opportunities to vulnerable communities.
Funding
The City of Miami is exploring all possible
avenues to fund ongoing climate resilience
and adaptation projects, including those
identified in all their climate resilience
plans. In 2017, voters approved the $400
million Miami Forever Bond, which entrusts
the city to fund a series of infrastructure
projects within five key areas: roadway
improvements, parks and cultural facilities,
public safety, sea -level rise mitigation and
flood prevention, and affordable housing.
40
The city developed a task force and
oversight committee to oversee project
evaluation and ensure funded projects
are aligned with the guiding themes of
safety, wellness and quality of life, equity,
economic return, and modernization. This
general obligation bond funding is intended
to be used to leverage funding from other
sources, like state and federal grants and
appropriations, to multiply impact.
Project Elements
The Growing the New Green Economy
Plan built upon 20 years of research across
South Florida and key actions identified
in the joint Resilient305 Strategy, such as
building a resilient and inclusive economy
through workforce development. The
report had a dual focus: economic growth
through job creation within industries that
have a positive impact on the environment,
and the types of jobs available within
the spectrum of green industries.
The analysis began with an evaluation of
local climate justice issues and workforce
inequities and a definition of the green
economy and green industries. Miami
defined the green economy broadly "as
any group of businesses and organizations
that use practices that reduce the
negative impact of human activity on the
environment, including those that mitigate
or adapt to the impacts of climate change."
The report points out that the green
economy can be broken into different
subsectors (e.g., energy, buildings, or
transportation), each with its own set of
industries, labeled as pure green, partially
green, or potentially green. Pure green
industries were defined as those with
100% environmentally friendly output (e.g.,
renewable energy and green infrastructure),
partially green as those where a portion of
the output is environmentally friendly (e.g.,
automobiles and building construction),
and potentially green as those where
new technology and market forces can
drive their industries to become green
(e.g., traditional energy generation).
GROWING THE NEW GREEN
ECONOMY PLAN FINDINGS
Evaluation of Miami's economy revealed
jobs in its green sectors are resilient and
grew 20% between 2014 and 2019 and
only dropped by 1% during the COVID-19
pandemic, while jobs in traditional sectors
grew by 7% during 2014 and 2019 and
dropped by 5% during the COVID-19
pandemic. However, traditional sectors,
such as healthcare, education, and tourism,
have the potential to become greener
through purchasing green goods and
services such as energy efficiency services,
EVs, and investing in renewables, which
will also contribute to further growth
in these green industries. Furthermore,
growth within these industries will create
new jobs and support growth in workforce
development programs to align worker skills
with new and higher -paying green jobs.
41
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Additional key findings from the Growing
the New Green Economy Plan include:
■ Municipal procurement policies playa key
role in catalyzing the new green economy.
■ Green industries have a higher share of
jobs that pay living wages than traditional
industries in Miami.
Several occupations are employed across
multiple green industries and demand for
these occupations is already expected to
grow over the next 10 years - even without
the support of Miami's forthcoming
climate actions.
To spur further growth in Miami's
green economy, the Plan recognized a
need to identify a local green economy
champion and designate city staff to
support economic development.
Additionally, the Plan recommended that
the city prioritize equity and climate action
in economic development, especially
with COVID-19 recovery dollars.
Community Impacts
Miami's planning efforts and integrated
focus on green job creation for its most
vulnerable climate justice communities has
numerous benefits. Growth in green job
sectors (e.g., solar photovoltaic installers,
environmental regulators, EV automotive
technicians, climate mitigation services,
mass transit) reduce regional greenhouse
gas emissions, address growing socio-
economic inequities through expanding
workforce development opportunities
and access to higher -wage green jobs
and position the city to leverage future
federal funding streams by demonstrating
positive community impact.
What's Next
Although Miami's Growing the New Green
Economy Plan is in its infancy, it has already
influenced and impacted the broader
Miami community. Miami -Dade County
plans to replicate the approach across the
broader Miami region and has applied for
an Economic Development Administration
(EDA) Build Back Better grant to develop
and organize a regional green economy
collaborative. Funds will be dispersed to
the City of Miami and other collaborating
municipalities within the County.
The secured funding will help to identify a
local green economy champion, enacting
one of the key recommendations from the
Growing the New Green Economy Plan.
The city is also pursuing funding for
several major shovel -ready infrastructure
projects from its stormwater master plan,
capital plan, and parks master plan.
These projects may be funded through
the Miami Forever Bond or a combination
of other funding mechanisms. As details
on new federal grant programs and
eligibility criteria become available,
projects can be prioritized and matched
to grant programs originating from the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA) or other future federal actions.
42
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Resources for Further
Reading
To read Miami Forever Carbon Neutral:
Growing the New Green Economy, visit:
httos://www.miamiaov.com/files/6121bda9
8f03-4f98-a04d-99cl dc58a761/Append ix-A-
Miami-New-Green-Economy-Report.pdf
To learn about Miami Forever Carbon
Neutral: City of Miami Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Plan and Pathway to
Carbon Neutrality by 2050, visit: htt s:
www. m i a m i g ov.co m/files/4e5f26f7-
2622-4c90-834a-eaaa6aa332le/M is m i-
Forever-Carbon-Neutral-FULL.pdf
To read Miami Forever Climate Ready,
visit: https://www.miamigov.com/My-
Government/ClimateChange/Climate-
Change-Action/MiamiForeverClimateReady
To learn about Pesilient305, visit: htt s:
www.mbrisingabove.com/your-city-at-
work/resi I fence-strategy/resi I ient-305/
CONTACT INFORMATION
CITY OF MIAMI
Contact Name:
Alissa Farina
Resilience Programs Manager
Email: afarina&miamigov.com
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Climate and Sustainability Goals
Federal
Flood Mitigation Assistance Program: Financial and technical
Emergency
assistance to reduce the risk of flood damage to homes and
Management
businesses through buyouts, elevation, and other activities.
Agency
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
Program: Pre -disaster mitigation program supporting hazard
projects to reduce disaster and natural hazard risks.
4dmitigation
Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation
(STORM) Act: Loans and grants for hazard mitigation assistance
to reduce risks to disasters and natural hazards.
U.S. Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants:
Environmen For the planning, construction and design of treatment works
Protection for municipal combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer
Agency overflows, or stormwater, and measures to manage, reduce,
or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage.
Stormwater Control Infrastructure Project Grants: To carry out
stormwater control infrastructure projects that incorporate new
and emerging, but proven, stormwater control technologies.
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program: To
establish clean water infrastructure resilience and sustainability programs
for natural hazard or cybersecurity vulnerabilities of public treatment works.
U.S. Depa Cost -Effective Code Implementation for Efficiency
of Energy and Resilience: To enable sustained cost-effective
implementation of updated building energy codes.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
Program: Financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero -
emission transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant
Program: For commercial energy audits, residential energy audits,
or energy upgrades or retrofits, as established by state programs.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
U.S. Department Grants for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (Clean Corridors
of Transportation Program): For accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure,
hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and
natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel
corridors or in certain other locations that will be accessible to all drivers.
Carbon Reduction Program: For transportation electrification
including public transportation and Bus Rapid Transit
intelligent transportation system improvements.
Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: For electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, vehicle -to -grid infrastructure, installation, and
deployment of intelligent transportation technologies.
Carbon Reduction Program: Encompasses many programs
including transportation electrification programs that promote EV adoption.
Army Corps of New Construction Projects: Projects relating
Engineers to coastal storm risk management.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
Lessons Learned and
Strategies for Replication
(NEW ORLEANS, LA, CAMBRIDGE,
MA, AND MIAMI, FL)
Though the communities of New Orleans,
Cambridge, and Miami take a diverse
approach to job creation, equity, and
community benefit, they share several
common themes. The most prevalent
is transforming climate risks into
opportunities to combat climate change
while also expanding access to higher -wage
green jobs, healthy living conditions, and
other co -benefits to under-resourced and
vulnerable communities. Early identification
of climate risks and subsequent
opportunities that maximize benefit to
the community can be supported through
development of data tracking systems,
joining support networks to share resources
and best practices, and developing a
diverse stakeholder engagement process.
These best practices can also support
bids to competitive funding programs.
Develop a Data Tracking System:
It's increasingly important to have a data
tracking system to measure baseline
performance and track progress —
knowing is not the same as tracking.
Many federal grant programs require
performance metric reporting and
maintaining eligibility for recurrent
funding streams may be contingent
upon providing proof of meeting targets.
Tracking progress towards goals also
provides value by demonstrating a track
record of success, which may qualify for
additional funding streams.
Join a Support Network to Share
Resources and Best Practices: Cities
looking to begin or continue their journey
toward planning and creating a more
sustainable, equitable, and resilient city do
not need to start from scratch.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
As mentioned in the examples provided
in this case study, peer networks may
be available to share resources and learn
from others' experiences, such as lessons
learned from pursuing federal funding
or developing community engagement
strategies. Peers may be your neighboring
cities or communities, or global networks
I i ke C40.
Develop a Diverse Stakeholder and
Community Engagement Process:
Projects that impact the community
should not be designed in a vacuum.
Community and stakeholder engagement
is essential to understanding community
concerns and ensuring projects are
designed and implemented to achieve an
equitable outcome.
Therefore, it's essential to engage the
community and stakeholders early
and often, and design by engagement.
Engagement can come in many forms
but may include workshops, community
meetings, community committees, and
open-ended questions for community
residents.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Powerful Municipal
Utility Planning
for Widespread
Vehicle
Electrification
(Roseville and Sacramento, CA)
Vehicle electrification contributes to
the reduction of harmful emissions that
contribute to poor air quality. In most of
the United States, vehicles are among
the highest sources of pollution and their
electrification can help cities and states
significantly reduce carbon emissions,
improve local health conditions, and
meet local, state, or federal air quality and
greenhouse gas reduction requirements.
Electric vehicles typically have lower
operation and maintenance costs and can
be integrated as part of localized advanced
energy systems, such as microgrids, to
create resilient emergency systems. The
shift to electric vehicles is also driving green
job creation as local workers are called
upon to build and maintain infrastructure
and vehicles. Cities play a key role in the
vehicle electrification movement as the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
and other state and federal initiatives
drive widespread vehicle electrification.
Cities can get involved in vehicle
electrification by electrifying public
transportation or other municipal fleet
vehicles as discussed in the Wichita
case study. Government funding in
the form of subsidies or tax credits can
play a role in kick-starting EV adoption
amongst individuals and companies
by incentivizing purchases of EVs.
However, research shows that a huge
barrier to EV adoption for individuals
is inadequate access to charging
infrastructure. Long term EV adoption will
depend on rebuilding cities to anticipate
and support the needs of EV users.
With the increase in federal funding for
electric vehicles, municipal and other
utilities need to prepare for the increased
electricity demand from charging
vehicles. Grid modeling and charging
infrastructure planning allows utilities
to take advantage of a new opportunity
to serve their customers and stay ahead
of potential issues with increased
demand on the grid. Understanding
existing grid usage, anticipated grid
usage with increased vehicle adoption,
and potential management systems for
grid charging times, can all help utilities
avoid overuse and underuse of the grid
and plan for cost effective services.
This chapter highlights initiatives in
which municipal utilities are preparing
for the influx of electric vehicles:
Roseville Electric, Roseville, CA,
is undertaking efforts to assess the
impact of additional EV adoption on its
operations, practices, and distribution
grid.
■ Sacramento Municipal Utility District,
Sacramento, CA, is providing innovative
services to its customers to support the
needs of EV users in its territory.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
There are three models that utilities traditionally fit into in their involvement with electric
vehicle charging infrastructure: The Make -Ready Model, Utility Owner -Operator Model,
and Utility Incentives Model. Regulatory frameworks often determine which model utilities
adopt.
The Make- The utility invests in the infrastructure necessary to connect charging
Ready Model equipment to the grid, including upgrading service capacity and installing
behind -the -meter electric infrastructure that would usually be the
customer's responsibility. The utility does not own or invest in any charging
equipment; it leaves it up to the customer to research and purchase.
Utility Owner- The utility owns all components of the EV charging infrastructure,
Operator Model streamlining and increasing the scale of EV charging infrastructure
development. The utility has access to capital thereby lowering
costs and increasing deployment. This involvement also results
in installations at locations that developers may ignore such as
multi -unit properties and disadvantaged communities.
Utility Incentives The utility administers programs to provide rebates for EV
Model charging infrastructure installation and make-ready investment
costs at both public and private locations, reducing upfront
charging equipment costs for all developers and customers.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Anticipating Grid Impacts
of Electric Vehicles
(Roseville, CA)
Overview
The City of Roseville, California is in the
process of integrating electric vehicles into
their public transportation and municipal
fleets. As public and private electric
vehicle adoption increases in Roseville,
the municipal utility, Roseville Electric, has
developed innovative ways to anticipate
plug in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption
impacts on the energy grid. In 2018 Roseville
Electric, with the support of consulting
partners, developed the "Assessment of
Growing Plug in Electric Vehicle Demand
and Charging Services on Roseville Electric
Utility." To increase EV adoption, Roseville
established several programs to support
residential and commercial customers in
their decision to transition to EVs. In 2022
an update to this assessment is planned to
begin. The goal of the assessment was to
direct utility operations, business practices,
and customer program development
to support customer expectations and
preferences for plug in electric vehicle
charging services. Modeling was performed
to understand the impact of PEV on the
distribution grid and what the utility can
do to enable that integration without
disturbing electricity services for their
customers. This assessment also considered
the role the utility could play in expanding
PEV adoption into wider communities
by increasing charging access.
Funding
Both the 2018 analysis and the upcoming
planned update are funded by the utility
using revenues generated from the sale
credits received through the California
Air resources Board's Low Carbon
Fuel Standards (LCFS)10 program.
The Roseville Electric forecasting will
allow the municipal utility to prepare
the grid for the increased demand that
could come from the electrification of
their local transit agency or school bus
fleets through federal or other funding.
Project Elements
2018 ASSESSMENT OF GROWING
PLUG IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE DEMAND
AND CHARGING SERVICES ON
ROSEVILLE ELECTRIC UTILITY
In 2018, Roseville Electric began an
assessment to forecast anticipated
impacts on the electric grid of increased
PEV adoption. This assessment was
designed to inform business strategies,
distribution plans, and operational
plans for Roseville Electric to support
the energy needs of their customers.
EV ADOPTION FORECASTING
Scenario planning of various possible
adoption forecasts was performed to
make operational and business planning
recommendations. An EV modeling
exercise was performed that accounted
for existing charging technology as well as
anticipated developments in technology,
market drivers, and vehicle availability.
This modeling also factored in existing
government policies, EV adoption targets,
and anticipated policy changes.
GRID IMPACT MODELING
Grid usage modeling was conducted at
a transformer level to fully understand
potential impacts on the electric grid. This
included potential service developments
for the grid. The various models output
current and anticipated PEV system
peak demand impacts, as well as how
charging management plans could
reduce that impact. Projections were
also developed for system consumption
impacts, carbon reduction impacts,
and feeder peak demand impacts.
10 https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/procirams/low-carbon-fuel-standard/lcfs-credit-generation-opportunities
49
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Armed with this data the utility can plan
for system developments and necessary
charging infrastructure to support
anticipated demand.
RESILIENCE
Anticipating customer demands and grid
impacts allows Roseville Electric to better
inform strategies to avoid emergency
outages. Understanding increasing
renewable energy resources and localized
microgrid charging technology can
also inform developing more resilient
charging systems. Developing a resilient
grid in the face of changing demands
guarantees better critical infrastructure
for all communities in Roseville. Working
to address infrastructure needs and
considering special community needs
helps ensure that vulnerable segments
of the population benefit from the
technological advancements.
2022 UPDATED ASSESSMENT
An update to the assessment is planned
to begin in 2022. The 2018 assessment
accurately forecasted grid impacts of
increased EVs and anticipated potential
weak spots in the system. With the
success of the first assessment, and
the upcoming federal funds for electric
vehicle adoption, Roseville Electric has
opted to update the assessment to
identify any other potential areas of
concern and necessary improvements.
Community Impacts
Roseville Electric, through the 2018
assessment and the planned 2022 update,
is actively assessing the needs of electric
vehicle adopters within its service territory
and how to effectively plan for future energy
demand. They are ensuring that they can
provide electricity to prepare for the influx
of electric vehicles seamlessly and without
blackouts or restrictions on charging times.
Roseville Electric is supporting the success
of the electrification transition from an
energy delivery and customer perspective.
They are currently providing education,
residential charging and vehicles rebates,
commercial fleet and charging rebates,
planning support and increased incentives
for non -profits and income qualified
customers. The update will allow Roseville
to evaluate their current programs and
that data will be used to improve their
programs in the future. When federal
funding allows for the purchase of many
more electric vehicles Roseville Electric
will be positioned to meet demand.
By supporting successful electrification,
Roseville Electric is contributing
to a sustainable transition that will
improve air quality and reduce carbon
emissions. Developing an EV ready
grid will also create green jobs at the
utility and with their partners.
What's Next
The utility plans to update the assessment
in 2022. Once complete, Roseville
Electric will have the necessary insight
to prepare their grid for the influx
of electric vehicles that may be the
result of funding in the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Roseville Electric plans to remain
proactive in their forecasting efforts to
continue to anticipate the convergence
of energy and transportation systems.
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING
To learn more about Roseville Electric,
visit: https://roseville.ca.us/government/
departments/electric_uti I ity
so
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Sacramento Municipal
Utility District eFuelsm
Charging as a Service
Program
(Sacramento, CA & Sacramento
Municipal Utility District)
Overview
The municipal utility serving Sacramento
County, the Sacramento Municipal
Utility District (SMUD), has adopted a
2030 Zero Carbon Plan featuring many
sustainability initiatives to improve air
quality in the region. The Plan includes
significant support for electrifying
vehicles. This includes incentivizing
electric vehicle purchases, supporting
the electrification of emergency vehicles,
and efforts to expand private and public
electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
In this section we are identifying and
highlighting creative EV planning efforts
from municipal utilities. An excellent
example is the SMUD eFuels" Charging
as a Service program. This cutting -edge
program will provide no -cost technical
and financial analysis to businesses
and multi -family dwellings on fleet
electrification and electric vehicle charging
infrastructure options. SMUD eFuel will
also be a charging installation service
that provides SMUD's technical expertise,
project management experience, and bulk
pricing resources to customers seeking to
electrify their fleet or workplace charging.
Customers will have no or low upfront
cost for the infrastructure and instead pay
a monthly fee on their utility bill to lease
the assets for a prescribed amount of
time. Ownership can be transferred to the
customer at the end of the lease period.
SMUD chose to focus on the three
segments with high carbon reduction
potential yet little transportation
electrification progress to date: Fleets,
workplaces, and multi -unit dwellings.
SMUD began project development by
conducting market research and interviews
with fleet managers to understand existing
barriers to commercial EV adoption in
the area. The two greatest barriers to EV
adoption for individuals were the high
initial capital cost and complexity of the
installation process, including the staff
time required. SMUD concluded that
it was in a unique position to move the
market given their infrastructure and
construction expertise, ability to leverage
an established utility delivery model,
ability to leverage LCFS funds, and existing
customer relationships. From this analysis
of existing barriers and resources, SMUD
developed the SMUD eFuel program.
This innovative approach of providing no
cost consulting to answer many of the
questions fleet managers and operators
have when looking to electrify, combined
with an innovative lease model is intended
to remove the existing burdens of
electrification for customers. SMUD eFuel
demonstrates how utilities can think
creatively about how their existing resources
could be used to develop creative solutions
to EV adoption barriers in their service area.
Funding
The program and the services are funded
by SMUD through the sale of LCFS credits.
Customers that take advantage of the
SMUD eFuel Solutions service will receive
installation of their electric vehicle chargers
with zero up -front cost for average project
types. Their monthly utility bill will include a
fixed fee to lease the charging technology.
A barrier to EV infrastructure installation
for larger fleets is the inability to afford
the upfront costs of charging technology
in addition to the high costs of vehicles.
By offering to cover the charging cost in a
monthly fee, SMUD is making electrification
more accessible and flexible for how
public and private companies budget
their capital and operating expenses.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
The electricity used by the customer's
chargers will also be included in the
customer's utility bill and no price increase
will be seen by customers not participating
in the service. The monthly lease fees
from customers will be re -invested into
more SMUD eFuel projects and services.
Project Elements
The SMUD eFuel Program is structured with
two services provided that include: SMUD
eFuel Advisor and SMUD eFuel Solutions.
SMUD eFUEL ADVISOR
This service provides no cost fleet and
workplace electrification plans for
businesses based on an evaluation
from experienced SMUD professionals.
SMUD professionals will offer guidance
on vehicle and charging equipment
selection, projected costs of installation
and maintenance, recommended energy
management and optimization tools,
and answer any questions customers
have on charging infrastructure
installation. This service is projected to
produce up to forty advisory reports
annually depending on fleet size.
SMUD eFUEL SOLUTIONS
With this service, SMUD will handle
the entire installation of charging
infrastructure for customers. SMUD will
provide network services and operate
and maintain the chargers during an
agreed upon contract term. During this
period, the customer is going to lease
this equipment from SMUD and at
the end of the lease period, ownership
can be transferred to the customer.
Larger projects are also eligible for
SMUD's LCFS credit sharing service
whereby SMUD brokers the credits and
shares the revenue with the customer.
The goal of this project is to construct
up to 150 EV charging ports annually.
Community Impact
For widespread EV adoption to succeed,
infrastructure will need to be reconfigured
around EVs, making long term usage
easy and practical. SMUD eFuel identifies
the unique role a municipal utility can
play in tackling inadequate EV charging
infrastructure. By offering consulting
and no upfront cost installation services,
SMUD eFuel aims to eliminate significant
barriers to widespread EV infrastructure
development. Providing businesses and
multi -family dwellings with high level
consulting services at no -cost aims to
make EV infrastructure and therefore EV
usage more widely accessible. Individual
businesses and dwellings applying for
chargers will allow the customers to decide
where infrastructure should be built to
serve their own specific community needs.
California and various regional and local
agencies offer incentives to customers
to assist in the purchasing of electric
vehicles, but without infrastructure to
make using these vehicles practical,
many customers do not take advantage
of this funding. Projects like SMUD eFuel
can help maximize the impact of EV
incentives, and other initiatives, by making
EV purchases easier and more affordable.
What's Next
By supporting charging infrastructure
installation and maintenance, the
SMUD eFuel Solutions program will help
customers take advantage of the increased
federal funding for electric vehicles.
By eliminating the initial financial burden
of installation this program will make
building charging infrastructure more
accessible and make electrification a more
practical option for fleet managers.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER READING
To learn more about SMUD EV Programs,
visit: https://www.smud.org/en/Going-
Green/Electric-Vehicles/Business
CONTACT INFORMATION
SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL
UTILITY DISTRICT
Contact Name:
Jillian Rich
Strategic Business Planner,
Advanced Energy Solutions
Phone: (916) 732-64S4
Email: jillian.rich ctsmud.orgi
rIlk- V� .. '`..
53
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Ott,
Lessons Learned and
Strategies for Replication
(ROSEVILLE AND SACREMENTO, CA)
Position Utilities for the Electric Vehicle
Transition: With the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) significant
funding is available for electrification of
municipal and private fleets. With this
influx of vehicles demand for charging
infrastructure and electricity for charging
will increase. Roseville Electric exemplifies
how municipal utilities can get ahead
of this change and contribute to the
electrification movement from an energy
supply side. SMUD has developed a
program that takes the initial financial
burden off fleet managers electrifying
and instead offers to guide them through
the process. These are creative ways a
municipal utility can ensure the energy
transition is smooth and efficient for their
customers. Both projects exemplify how
municipal utilities can position for the
convergence of energy and transportation
systems that is happening and will be
accelerated with upcoming federal
funding.
Importance of Strategic Planning in
Positioning for Funding: Planning is a
vital first step in positioning for funding.
With a concrete plan, funders are more
likely to trust a project and award grants
for its development. Planning allows for
funding needs to be identified before
funding is secured so decisions on how
to spend funds have already been made.
Both SMUD and Roseville Electric use
technical analysis, in depth market
research, and creative problem solving
to develop unique plans. Having detailed
research as a baseline for projects on
the customer level and the utility level
allows for the construction of detailed and
feasible project plans.
Complement Existing Programs: The
state of California offers incentives to
assist customers in purchasing electric
vehicles. However, research shows that
prices are not the only barrier to electric
vehicle adoption and inadequate access
to charging infrastructure prevents
individuals and companies from
adopting electric vehicles. Adoption
of electric vehicles is dependent on
having the infrastructure to support
them. This includes an electric grid that
will anticipate increased adoption and
charging infrastructure that will make use
of electric vehicles easy and accessible.
These projects support California's EV
purchase incentive program by making
adopting an EV more practical for many
customers.
■ Identify Needs and Resources: Both
projects identified existing barriers
to EV adoption, existing resources for
EV adoption, and the ways in which a
municipal utility can best contribute.
SMUD found that for business owners
and fleet managers high up -front costs,
complexity of installation, and staff
time were key concerns in purchasing
and installing charging infrastructure.
SMUD identified their own resources
to be infrastructure and construction
expertise, an established utility delivery
model, ability to leverage LCFS funds,
and existing customer relationships.
Understanding their own resources, and
the existing needs of their customers,
SMUD was able to identify a unique way
to fit into the electrification movement
with the SMUD eFuel program.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Potential IIJA Funding Opportunities for
Similar Electric Vehicle Projects
Department Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the
of Energy Electric Grid: Grant program to support activities by electric
utilities that improve the electric grid as to reduce the risk
of consequences from natural disruptive events.
Electric Grid Reliability and Resilience Research,
Development, and Demonstration: Provides financial
assistance to projects that demonstrate innovative approaches
to transmission, storage, and distribution infrastructure.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program:
Financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero -emission
transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs.
U.S. Department Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement
of Transportation Program: For programs to reduce pollution and relieve
congestion to meet air quality standards.
Carbon Reduction Program: Encompasses many programs including
transportation electrification programs that promote EV adoption.
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient,
and Cost Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program: For state
projects to improve resiliency of transportation infrastructure.
Surface Transportation Block Grant Program: For electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, vehicle -to -grid infrastructure, installation,
and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies.
Please refer to the Appendix for additional information on IIJA funding opportunities.
Appendix: Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act
Resource Guide
HIGHLIGHTS
Passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on November
15, 2021, will provide a massive influx of federal
funding for states and local governments. The
IIJA includes $550 billion in federal funding,
much of which is passed directly to states and
local governments through new and expanded
programs, in the areas of transportation,
broadband, energy, resiliency, and water.
Many portions of the IIJA will be useful to cities
to address resilience and climate mitigation
efforts. Highlights of those portions include:
Funds for Emission Reductions and Clean
Energy: A national funding framework to
address carbon emissions is established
including: $7.5 billion for electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, $5 billion for zero/
low emission school buses, $5 billion for
zero/low emissions public transit buses,
and $2.5 billion for electric ferries.
Investment in Climate Change Resilience:
Investments to increase resilience are found
throughout the IIJA. Funding opportunities
include $47 billion to prepare the nation for
worsening effects of climate change, such
as floods, fires, storms, and other extreme
weather events; $55 billion for clean drinking
water infrastructure (including $15 billion
for lead service pipe removal); $3.5 billion to
FEMA for flood mitigation and assistance; $21
billion clean up Superfund and Brownfield
sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap
orphaned oil and gas wells; and $500 million
for the STORM Act to provide support through
loans and grants to local communities facing
rising water levels, coastal erosion and flooding.
Critical Grant Funding for Transportation:
The bill includes both new and existing grant
programs for state and local governments in
the areas of transportation. Over $100 billion
in competitive grant programs through
the Department of Transportation were
authorized, many of which are climate related.
Increased Cap on Private Activity Bonds:
The cap is increased from $15 billion to
$30 billion, which will allow state and local
governments to enter additional public -private
partnerships to supplement future surface
transportation project, water, wastewater,
and other projects with private investments.
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Alliance for a Sustainable Future
CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT, AND ENERGY PROGRAMS BY AGENCY
A significant number of federal programs were authorized and funded by the IIJA that have
been identified to be potentially useful to communities to implement climate mitigation
and resiliency efforts. The list consists of multiple federal agencies and includes the
following information: level of funding, type of funding, purpose, programs limitations, and a
link to the program website (if applicable).
While the appendix is organized alphabetically by department agency, a majority of
the programs can be found listed under the Department of Energy, Department of
Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Please note this may not be an
exact or exhaustive list given at guidelines are still being developed by the various agencies.
Army Corps of Engineer New Construction Projects
$2.55 billion for coastal storm risk management, hurricane and storm damage reduction projects, and
related activities targeting States that have been impacted by federally declared disasters over the
last six years.
$2.5 billion for inland flood risk management projects, of which not less than $750 million shall be for
multi -purpose projects or multi -purpose programs that include flood risk management as a purpose
$1.9 billion for aquatic ecosystem restoration
$1.5 billion for major rehabilitation, construction, and related activities for rivers and harbors
$200 million for shore protection projects
$200 million for water- related environmental infrastructure assistance
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) PROGRAMS
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program (Existing Program)
Level $1 billion
of Funding
Type Grants
of Funding
Purpose Pre -disaster mitigation program supporting hazard mitigation projects to reduce the
risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.
Eligibility States, local communities, tribes, and territories
Website https://www.fema.goy/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-
communities
Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (Existing Program)
Level $3.5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type Grants
of Funding
Purpose To provide financial and technical assistance to reduce the risk of flood damage to
homes and businesses through buyouts, elevation, and other activities.
Eligibility States, local communities, tribes, and territories
Website https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/floods
57
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Safeguarding Tomorrow Through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Act
Level
$500 million
of Funding
Type
Grants and loans
of Funding
To provide support through loans and grants to local communities to provide
hazard mitigation assistance to local governments to reduce risks to disasters
Purpose
and natural hazards. The new grant program under this act may finance water,
wastewater, infrastructure, disaster recovery, community and small business
development projects.
Eligibility
Local governmental entities
Website
https://www.congress.goy/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3418/all-info
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF .APROGRAMS
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (Existing Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Provides for cooperation between the Federal government, states, and political
subdivisions to prevent erosion, floodwater, and sediment damage; the conservation
Purpose
development, use, and disposal of water; and to further conservation and proper use
of land in authorized watersheds.
Eligibility
States, local governments, and tribes
https://www.nres.usda.gov/wios/portal/nres/detail/national/programs/landscape/
Website
wfpo/?cid=nresl43_008271
Watershed Rehabilitation Program (Existing Program)
Level
$118 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants and loans
of Funding
Purpose
The program provides assistance to project sponsors for rehabilitating aging dams
that are reaching the end of their design lives.
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes
https://www.nres.usda.gov/wps/portal/nres/detail/national/programs/landscape/
Website
wr/?cid =n resl43_008448
Emergency Watershed Protection Program (Existing Program)
Level
$300 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To repair damages to the waterways and watersheds resulting from natural disaster.
Eligibility
State political subdivisions, conservation districts, tribes, and tribal organizations
https://www.nres.usda.goy/wps/portal/nres/main/national/programs/
Website
landscape/ewp p/
58
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation (CIFIA) Program
(New Program)
Level
$2.1 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Low -interest loans and grants
of Funding
To provide flexible, low -interest loans for CO2 transport infrastructure projects and
grants for initial excess capacity on new infrastructure to facilitate future growth.
Purpose
A project under the CIFIA program shall have eligible project costs that are
reasonably anticipated to equal or exceed $100 million.
A State, local government, agency, or instrumentality of a State or local government,
Eligibility
or a public authority, may submit to the Secretary an application under which a
private party to a public -private partnership, selected by a subsequent procurement
process, will be the developer and responsible for loan repayment.
Carbon Utilization Program (Existing Program)
Level
$310 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Creates a new grant program under the existing program to procure and use
Purpose
products derived from captured carbon oxides.
Expansion of existing program.
Eligibility
States, local government, public utilities, and public agencies
https://netl.doe.goy/coal/carbon-utilization#::text=DOE's%20Carbon%20
Utilization%20Program%20aspires%2C%20and%20environmentally%2Dfriendly%20
Website
manner.&text=An%20ongoing%20program%20objective%20is applicable%20for%20
near%2Dterm%20implementation
Cost -Effective Codes Implementation for Efficiency and Resilience (New Program)
Level
$225 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Competitive grant program to enable sustained cost-effective implementation of
updated building energy codes.
States, tribes, and partnerships between local building code agencies, associations
Eligibility
of builders and design and construction professionals, local and utility energy
efficiency programs, and consumer, energy efficiency, and environmental advocates.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG)
(Existing Program - not funded since 2008)
Level
$550 million for FY 2022
of Funding
59
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To provide funding for programs for financing energy efficiency, renewable energy,
and zero -emission transportation, capital investments, projects, and programs,
Purpose
which may include loan programs and performance contracting programs, for
leveraging of additional public and private sector funds.
Eligibility
States, cities, communities, territories, and tribes
https://www.energy.goy/eere/wipo%nergy-efficiency-and-conservation-block-
Website
grant-program
Program Upgrading Our Electric Grid Reliability and Resiliency (New Program)
Level
$6 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To demonstrate innovative approaches to transmission, storage, and distribution
infrastructure to harden resilience and reliability and to demonstrate new
Purpose
approaches to enhance regional grid resilience.
$1 billion is set aside to improve resilience, safety, reliability, and availability of energy
in rural and remote areas.
Eligibility
States, combinations of two or more states, tribes, local governments, and public
utility commissions
Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$750 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To encourage manufacturing firms to produce or recycle advanced energy products
in communities where coal mines or coal power plants have closed.
Manufacturing firms with gross annual sales less than $100 million, fewer than 500
Eligibility
employees at the manufacturing site, and annual energy bills between $100,000 and
$2.5 million.
Battery Material Processing Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$3 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Demonstration projects for the processing of battery materials and to retool, retrofit,
or expand existing battery material processing facilities.
Eligibility
States and local governments
Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grants (New Program)
Level
$3 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
60
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Purpose
Demonstration projects for advanced battery component manufacturing, advanced
battery manufacturing, and recycling.
Eligibility
States and local governments
Energy Auditor Training Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$40 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To train individuals to conduct energy audits or surveys of commercial and
Purpose
residential buildings.
Grants shall not exceed $2 million.
Eligibility
States
Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot Program (New Program)
Level
$50 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To award grants for the purpose of providing nonprofit buildings with energy -
Purpose
efficiency materials.
Each grant awarded under this section shall not exceed $200,000.
Eligibility
Non-profit organizations
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$250 million for FY 2022
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Establishes a revolving loan fund capitalization grant program within State Energy
Purpose
Programs to fund recipient commercial energy audits, residential energy audits, or
energy upgrades or retrofits.
Eligibility
States
Grants for Energy Efficiency Improvements and Renewable Energy Improvements at Public
School Facilities
(New Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Grants to make energy efficiency, renewable energy, and alternative fueled vehicle
upgrades and improvements at public schools.
Eligibility
Local educational agencies, schools, nonprofit organizations, for -profit organizations,
and community partners.
61
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of The Electric Grid (New Program)
Level
$5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
Establishes a grant program to support activities by electric utilities that improve the
electric grid as to reduce the risk of consequences from natural disruptive events.
States, tribes, electric grid operators, electricity storage operators, electricity
Eligibility
generators, transmission owners or operators, distribution providers, fuel suppliers,
and other relevant entities, as determined by the Secretary of Energy.
State Energy Program (Existing Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
To provide funding and technical assistance to enhance energy security, advance
state -led energy initiatives, and maximize the benefits of decreasing energy waste.
Eligibility
States, territories, and the District of Columbia
Website
https://www.enercgy.gov/eere/wipo/state-energgy-program
Transmission Facilitation Program (New Program)
Level
$2.5 billion
of Funding
Type
Revolving loan fund
of Funding
Purpose
Loans or public -private partnerships to carry out replacement or enhancement
projects on eligible transmission lines.
Transmission lines capable of transmitting not less than 1,000 megawatts; or in the
Eligible
case of existing transmission line upgrades, new transmission line construction in
Projects
existing transmission, transportation, or telecommunications infrastructure corridors,
500 megawatts.
Low -Income Weatherization Assistance Program (LIWAP) (Existing Program)
Level
$3.5 billion for FY 2022
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
To reduce energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy
efficiency of their homes.
Eligibility
States and tribes
Website
https://www.energy.goy/eere/wap/weatherization-assistance-program
62
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) (Existing Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
To provide low-income families financial assistance with rising energy prices due to
extreme weather.
Eligibility
States, tribes, and territories
Website
https://www.acthhs.goy/ocs/low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-Iiheap
Large-scale Water Recycling and Reuse Projects (New Program)
Level
$450 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Establishes a grant program for large-scale water recycling and reuse projects.
Eligibility
States, tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, water districts, and water and power
authorities.
Tribal Climate Resilience (Existing Program)
Level
$216 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
For tribal climate resilience, adaptation, and community relocation planning, design,
Purpose
and implementation of projects that address varying climate challenges.
$86M of the total is for climate resilience and adaptation projects.
Eligibility
Tribes and tribal organizations
Website
https://www.bia.gov/bia/ots/tribal-climate-resilience-program
Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (New Program)
Level
$1 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To construct eligible projects to provide safe and connected active transportation
facilities in an active transportation network or active transportation spine.
63
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Construction of active transportation networks that connect people to public
Eligible
transportation, businesses, workplaces, schools, residences, recreation areas, and
Projects
other community activity centers. It also includes adding sidewalks, bikeways, and
pedestrian trails.
Eligibility
States, Indian tribes, multi -county special districts, and local or regional government
organizations
Congestion Relief Program (New Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To advance innovative, integrated, and multimodal solutions to congestion relief in
the most congested metropolitan areas of the United States (areas with a population
of more than one million).
Purpose
priority to eligible projects located in urbanized areas that are experiencing high
degrees of recurrent congestion.
Grant awards will not be less than $10 million.
Eligibility
States, metropolitan planning organizations, cities, and municipalities
Grants for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (Clean Corridors Program) (New Program)
Level
$2.5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To establish accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling
infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and natural gas fueling infrastructure
along designated alternative fuel corridors or in certain other locations that will be
accessible to all drivers.
Purpose
50% of the total program funds will be made available each fiscal year for
community grants, to install EV charging and alternative fuel in locations on public
roads, schools, parks, and in publicly accessible parking facilities. These grants
will be prioritized for rural areas, low -and moderate -income neighborhoods, and
communities with low ratios of private parking, or high ratios of multi -unit dwellings.
Eligibility
States, local governments, transit agencies, port authorities, and territories
Healthy Streets Program (New Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To provide competitive grants to eligible entities to deploy cool pavements and
porous pavements and to expand tree cover.
Purpose
priority to low-income and disadvantaged communities.
An individual grant under this section shall not exceed $15 million.
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations
64
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Low -or -No Emission Buses (Existing Program)
Level
$S.6 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To provide funding to state and local governments for the purchase or lease of zero -
Purpose
emission and low -emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and
leasing of required supporting facilities.
Eligibility
States, local governmental authorities, and tribes
Website
https://www.transit.dot.gov/lowno
National Infrastructure Project Assistance (New Program)
Level
$5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To support multi -modal, multi -jurisdictional projects of national or regional
significance.
Purpose
Federal assistance provided for a project for which a grant is awarded under the
program shall not exceed 80% of the total cost of the project.
States, groups of States, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments,
Eligibility
political subdivisions, special purpose districts or public authorities with a
transportation function, including port authorities, tribes, and consortiums of tribes.
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants
(Existing Program)
Level
$7.S billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To support surface transportation projects of local and/or regional significance,
including projects that improve environmental sustainability.
Purpose
Maximum amount per grant is $25 million (minimum is $5 million) and provides an
equal split between rural and urban areas.
States, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, local governments, public agencies
Eligibility
publicly chartered authorities established by one or more States, special purpose
districts or public authorities with a transportation function including port
authorities, tribes, consortiums of tribes, and transit agencies.
Website
https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants
Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (New Program)
Level
$1 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
65
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
To provide funds for projects that restore community connectivity. The program will
provide dedicated funding for barriers to mobility, access, or economic development.
Purpose
A planning grant may not exceed $2 million per recipient.
A capital construction grant may not be less than $5 million per recipient.
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes, metropolitan planning organizations, and nonprofit
organizations
Safe Routes to School (Existing Program)
Unclear of any new funding provided but the program was recodified into current
Level
law and was expanded to cover high schools
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and
bicycle to school; to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more
appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active
lifestyle from an early age; and to facilitate the planning, development, and
Purpose
implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic,
fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.
No State shall receive an apportionment under this section for a fiscal year of less
than $1 million.
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations
Website
https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Safe-Routes-to-School-Programs
Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To conduct planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies
identified in a comprehensive safety action plan.
Purpose
Of the total amount made available to carry out the program for each fiscal year,
not less than 40% shall be awarded to projects to develop comprehensive safety
action plans.
Eligibility
Political subdivisions metropolitan planning organizations, and tribes
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Grant Program (New Program)
Level
$500 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community
Purpose
technologies and systems in a variety of communities to improve transportation
efficiency and safety.
Eligibility
States, political subdivisions, tribes, public transit agencies or authorities, and public
toll authorities
66
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Surface Transportation Block Grants (Existing Program)
Level
$7.2 billion for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure and vehicle -to -grid infrastructure, installation
and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies, projects that facilitate
intermodal connections between emerging transportation technologies, resilience
features, cybersecurity protections, waterfront infrastructure projects, and projects
Eligible
to enhance travel and tourism.
Projects
Increased share of funding to local areas (59% versus 50%).
Creates a new population band for communities between 50,000 and
200,000 people.
Eligibility
States and local governments
Website
https://www.fhwa.dot.goy/environment/transportation_alternatives/
Carbon Reduction Program (New Program)
Level
$6.4 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
Carbon reduction program to reduce transportation emissions.
Transportation electrification and EV charging; public transportation, including Bus
Rapid Transit; infrastructure for bicycling and walking; intelligent transportation
Eligible
systems (ITS) improvements; infrastructure to support congestion pricing; diesel
Projects
engine retrofits; and port electrification.
65% of funding would be allocated by population to support eligible projects in local
communities.
Eligibility
States
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (Existing Program)
Level
$13.2 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Purpose
To fund projects to reduce pollution and relieve congestion geared towards helping
metropolitan regions and states meet federal air quality standards.
Eligibility
States
https://www.transportation.gov/sustainability/climate/federal-programs-director --
Website
congestion-mitigation-and-air-quality-cmaq
ON 67
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Electric or Low -Emitting Ferry Pilot Program (New Program)
Level
$2S0 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Pilot program to provide grants for the purchase of electric or low -emitting ferries
and the electrification of or other reduction of emissions from existing ferries.
Purpose
Requires that at least one grant be awarded to the state with the largest Marine
Highway System and a bi-ferry service with an aging fleet.
Eligibility
States
Ferry Service for Rural Communities (New Program)
Level
$1 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Establishes a program to ensure that basic essential ferry service is provided to rural
areas by providing funds to States to provide such basic essential ferry service.
Ferry services that operated a regular schedule at any time during the S-year period
Eligibility
ending on March 1, 2020, and served at least two rural areas located more than 50
sailing miles apart.
National Electric Vehicle Formula Program (New Program)
Level
$5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To provide funding to States to strategically deploy electric vehicle charging
Purpose
infrastructure and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data
collection, access, and reliability.
Eligibility
States
National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) (Existing Program)
Level
No new funding was provided in the law but the program was amended to now
of Funding
include resiliency efforts.
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To provide support for states to conduct activities to increase the resiliency of
the National Highway System to mitigate the cost of damages from sea level rise,
Purpose
extreme weather events, flooding, wildfires, or other natural disasters.
Expands eligibility for States to use funds for resiliency, cybersecurity, and
undergrounding utility infrastructure.
Eligibility
States
Website
https://www.fhwa.dot.goy/fastact/factsheets/nhppfs.cfm
68
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, And Cost Saving Transportation
(PROTECT) Program (New Program)
Level
$7.3 billion formula and $1.4 billion grants. Total: $8.7 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based and grants
of Funding
To provide grants through formula funding ($7.3 billion to States), competitive
planning grants, and competitive resilience improvement grants to make resiliency
improvements to protect against the effects of extreme weather and natural
Purpose
disasters.
Contains a set -aside in the competitive grant funding for at -risk coastal infrastructure
and evacuation routes.
Eligibility
States
Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities (New Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Establishes a program to reduce truck idling at port facilities, including to study port
Purpose
electrification, study emerging technologies, and funds projects that reduce port -
related emission.
Eligibility
Not defined
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) PROGRAMS
Clean School Bus Program (New Program)
Level
$5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants and rebates
of Funding
For the replacement of existing school buses with zero emission and clean school
buses with a priority on low income, rural and tribal schools.
Purpose
50% of funds to replace existing school buses with zero -emission school buses; and
50% of funds to replace existing school buses with clean school buses.
Local or state governmental entities responsible for providing school bus service to
Eligibility
public school systems or the purchase of school buses, eligible contractors, nonprofit
school transportation association, and tribes.
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program (New Program)
Level
$125 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
69
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Purpose
To establish clean water infrastructure resilience and sustainability programs for
natural hazard or cyber security vulnerabilities of public treatment works.
Eligibility
Municipalities or intermunicipal, interstate, or state agencies
Operational Sustainability of Small Public Water Systems (New Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To establish a program to award grants for the purpose of improving the operational
sustainability of small systems.
States; local governments; public corporation established to provide water service;
Eligibility
nonprofit corporations, public trusts, and cooperative associations that own or
operate a public water system; tribes that own or operate a public water system; and
nonprofit organization that provide technical assistance to public water systems.
RECYCLE Act (Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program) (New Program)
Level
$75 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Authorizes a new grant program at the EPA to award competitive grants to eligible
Purpose
entities to improve the effectiveness of residential and community recycling
programs through public education and outreach.
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public -private
partnerships.
Rural and Low -Income Water Assistance Pilot Program (New Program)
Level
No money for this program was included in the IIJA, only authorization.
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To establish a pilot program to develop and implement programs to assist qualifying
Purpose
households with need in maintaining access to drinking water and wastewater
treatment.
Municipalities; tribes; or other entity that owns or operates a community water
system, treatment works, or municipal separate storm sewer system, has taken
Eligibility
on an unsustainable level of debt due to customer nonpayment for the services
provided by a community water system, treatment works, or municipal separate
storm sewer system; and states exercising primary enforcement responsibility over
rural water service providers.
Save Our Seas 2.0 Act Grants (New Program)
Level
$275 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Establishes a program to support improvements to local post -consumer materials
management, including municipal recycling programs.
70
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Eligibility
States, local governments, tribes, and public water systems
Stormwater Control Infrastructure Project Grants (New Program)
Level
$50 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To carry out stormwater control infrastructure projects that incorporate new and
emerging, but proven, stormwater control technologies.
Purpose
The amount of a single planning and development grant provided shall not be more
than $200,000.
Eligibility
States, tribes, local governments, and local, regional, or other public entities that
manage stormwater or wastewater resources or related water infrastructure.
Water Infrastructure Financing Reauthorization/Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Program (WIFIA) (Existing Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Loan guarantees
Type
Additional amount of $75 million, of which $64 million is for direct loans and for the
of Funding
cost of guaranteed loans for safety projects to maintain, upgrade, and repair dams
identified in the National Inventory of Dams.
Eligibility
State, local, tribal, and federal government entities
Website
https://www.epa.goy/wifia
Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities (Existing Program)
Level
$510 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To provide grants to disadvantaged communities or communities with a population
of under 10,000 that lack household drinking water or wastewater services or that
Purpose
are served by a public water system that violates or exceeds a requirement of the
national primary drinking water regulations.
Eligibility
States, tribes, and territories
https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/wiin-grant-small-underserved-and-disadvantaged-
Website
communities-grant-program
Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) (Existing Program)
Level
$11.713 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
71
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
To restore and maintain clean water through low-cost financing for a variety of water
quality infrastructure projects.
An additional $1 billion in capitalization grants over five years to address
Purpose
contaminants such as (PFAS).
49% of funds will be available for grants or principal forgiveness loans.
51% of funds will be available for low -interest loans.
Eligibility
States are given the money who, in turn, provide loans to local governments.
Website
https://www.epa.goy/cwsrf
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works Program (New Program)
Level
$200 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Provides grants to cover the costs incurred from connecting a household to a
municipal or private wastewater system.
Owners or operators of a publicly owned treatment works and non-profit entities
Eligibility
that assist low-income or moderate -income individuals with connecting the
household of the individual to the publicly owned treatment works.
Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRF) (Existing Program)
Level
$11.713 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To provide low-cost financing for public drinking water infrastructure projects and
source water protection.
49% of funds will be provided to communities as grants or principal
Purpose
forgiveness loans.
51% of funds will be available to communities for low -interest loans.
$4 billion in capitalization grants to address contaminants such as PFAS ($800
million per fiscal year).
Eligibility
States are given the money who, in turn, provide loans to local governments
Website
https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf
EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) Program (Existing Program)
Level
$100 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To provide grants and technical assistance to help businesses develop and adopt
pollution prevention practices.
Eligibility
States, colleges and universities, and tribes
Website
https://www.epa.gov/p2
72
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Lead Contamination in School Drinking Water (Existing Program)
Level
$200 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To assist with testing for lead in drinking water at schools and child care programs.
Purpose
Expands the program to allow funds to be used for compliance monitoring and lead
reduction projects.
Eligibility
States
https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/wiin-grant-lead-testing-school-and-child-care-
Website
program-drinking-water
Lead Pipe Removal
Level
$15 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Loans and grants
of Funding
To address lead in drinking water and remove pipes.
49% of the funds made available to each State for Drinking Water State Revolving
Purpose
Fund capitalization grants shall be used to provide grants or loan forgiveness to
eligible recipients.
51% of funds will be available to communities for low -interest loans.
Eligibility
States
Website
https://www.el2a.gov/dwsrf
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program
(New Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To award grants to increase resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather events
and reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Eligibility
Public water systems serving communities with a population of at least 10,000
PFAS (DWSRF, CWSRF, EPA's Small and Disadvantaged Communities Program)
(Existing Program)
Level
$10 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
To provide funding for the treatment perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances
Purpose
(PFAS) or pollutants identified by the Administrator as a contaminant of
emerging concern.
Eligibility
States
73
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf
Website
https://www.epa.goy/cwsrf
https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/wiin-grant-small-underserved-and-disadvantaged-
communities-grant-program
Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants (Existing Program)
Level
$1.4 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Formula based
of Funding
Funding for the planning, construction and design of treatment works for municipal
combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, or stormwater, and measures
Purpose
to manage, reduce, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage.
25% percent set -aside for projects in rural or financially distressed communities.
Eligibility
States
https://www.el2a.goy/cwsrf/sewer-overflow-and-stormwater-reuse-municipal-
Website
g ra nts-prog ra m
State Competitive Grants for Underserved Communities (New Program)
Level
$250 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Establishes a new competitive safe drinking water grant program, with terms to
Purpose
be determined by the EPA Administrator, for States that have demonstrated high
numbers of underserved communities.
Eligibility
States
Brownfields
Level
$1.5 billion over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
To assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties by funding
Purpose
assessment, revolving loan fund capitalization, cleanup, multipurpose, and job
training grants.
Eligibility
States, local governments and agencies, and non-profit entities
Website
https://www.epa.goy/brownfields/brownfields-cleanup-grants
Superfund Cleanup (Existing Program)
Level
$3.5 billion for the EPA Superfund remedial account
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To provide funds for clean-ups and on remedial activities for Superfund sites.
Eligibility
Superfund sites on the National Priorities List
Website
https://www.epa.gov/sul2erfund
74
Alliance for a Sustainable Future
Underground Injection Control Program (Existing Program)
Level
$SO million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
To defray the expenses of the State related to the establishment and operation of a
State underground injection control program.
Eligibility
States
Website
https://www.epa.goy/uic
Wastewater Efficiency Grant Pilot Program (New Program)
Level
$100 million over five years
of Funding
Type
Grants
of Funding
Purpose
Establishes a grant pilot program to carry out projects that create or improve waste -
to -energy systems.
Eligibility
Owners or operators of publicly owned treatment works
75
Additional Resources
Relating to the IIJA
The final IIFA text, legislative history and
other information can be found here:
https://www.cong ress.goy/bi I I/l17th-
cong ress/house-bi I I/3684/text
A detailed summary of the IIJA may be
viewed at: https://www.manchin.senate.gov/
imo/media/doc/bipartisan_infrastructure_
bi I I_section_by_section.pdf?cb
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
of 2021: Overview and Key Points for Mayors,
developed by the United States Conference
of Mayors: https://mcusercontent.com/
e687bec862llc5944ffd74f55/f i les/ad2e8d6a-
5ed9-6c78-3604-2bfe4adOf339/USC M_
Overview of Infrastructure_Act_112421.Ol.pdf
Legislative Analysis for Counties: The
Infrastructure & Jobs Act, developed by the
National Association of Counties: htt s:
www.naco.org/resources/legislative-analysis-
counties-inf rastructu re-i nvestment-jobs-act
What the Senate Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Means
for Local Governments, developed by
the National League of Cities: htt s:
www.nlc.org/article/2021/08/l0
what-the-senate-infrastructure-bill-
mea ns-for-loca I -govern ments/
White House Statement: Fact Sheet: The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal: htt s:
www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/
state me n ts- re I eases/2021 /11 /06/fact-she et -
the -bipartisan -infrastructure -deal/
White House Statement: The
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Advances
Environmental Justice: https://www.
whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/
state me nts- re I eases/2021 /11/16/
the -bipartisan -infrastructure -law -
advances -environmental justice/
FACT SHEET: EPA & the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law: https://www.epa.
goy/i of rastructu re/fact-sheet-epa-
bipartisan-infrastructure-law
DOE Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan
Infrastructure Deal: https://www.energy.
goy/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-
infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-
american-workers-families-and-0
U.S. Department of Transportation
Announcement: https://www.transit.
dot.gov/a bout/news/us-depa rtment-
tra nsportation-an no nces- key- priorities -
funding -public -transportation
FEMA Release: Infrastructure Deal
Provides FEMA Billions for Community
Mitigation Investments: https://www.
fema.gov/press-release/20211115/
infrastructure-deal-provides-fema-billions-
community-mitigation-investments
76
CAI
THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director
1620 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: 202.293.7330
Email: tcochran@usmayors.org
usmayors.org