Jasmine Davenport, Senior Advisor for Climate Justice in the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave this presentation at Forth Design and Fund Equitable Electric Mobility For Your Community workshop on March 14, 2024.
Design and Fund Equitable Electric Transportation For Communities by Jasmine Davenport
1. Design and Fund Equitable Electric
Transportation For Communities
Jasmine Davenport
Senior Advisor for Climate Justice
Office of Air and Radiation
2. EPA’s programs helping tackle climate
and air pollution
Sector-based:
Mobile Sources
Top-down:
Climate Plans
Bottom-up:
Environmental Justice (EJ)
Sector-based:
Stationary Sources
• Clean School Bus Program
• Clean heavy-duty vehicles
• Clean ports
• Diesel Emissions Reductions Act Program
• EJ & Climate Justice Program
• Thriving Communities Program
• EJ Govt.-to-Govt. Program
• Collaborative Problem-Solving Coop. Agreement
• Climate Pollution Reduction
Planning and Implementation
Grants
• Methane Emissions Reduction Program
• Funding to Address Air Pollution/Air
Monitoring
3. Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG)
• On September 20, 2023, EPA launched a $4.3 billion competition for states, local
governments, tribes, and territories to fund policies and programs to cut climate
pollution
• EPA also launched a $300 million competition for only tribes and territories to fund
policies and programs to cut climate pollution
• These implementation grants will build on $250 million in CPRG planning grants EPA
awarded in 2023
• Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAP) are due on March 1, 2024
• Implementation grant applications are due on April 1, 2024
4.
5. Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG)
Implement ambitious measures that will achieve significant cumulative
greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions by 2030 and beyond
Achieve substantial community benefits (such as reduction of criteria and
hazardous air pollutants), particularly in low-income and disadvantaged
communities
Complement other funding sources to maximize these GHG reductions and
community benefits
Pursue innovative policies and programs that are replicable and can be
“scaled up” across multiple jurisdictions
7. 7
RESOURCES TO HELP
COMMUNITIES
Online resource hub for communities.
The new online hub:
• Highlights IRA program
information and provides
easily-digestible
infographics
• Aggregates available EPA
IRA technical assistance
resource programs into one
location for ease-of-access
• Showcases geospatial data
tools that help drive
environmental and climate
justice
8. 8
REGIONAL
ROADSHOW
2 8 9
Albany, NY
January 18th, 2024
San Bernardino, CA
February 16th, 2024
Commerce City-ND, CO
March 5th, 2024
The Regional Roadshow provides opportunities for community leaders to develop or leverage existing
community-based partnerships and explore appropriate Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunities as it
relates to their community needs.
OVERVIEW
REGION REGION REGION
Notes de l'éditeur
It’s so wonderful to join you all today! Thank you for having me here today. My name is Jasmine Davenport, and I am the Senior Advisor for Climate Justice in EPA's Office of Air and Radiation.
One thing is certain - communities with greater numbers of lower income households, more multifamily housing and limited transportation choices have mobility challenges that go beyond more EV charging infrastructure:
Households with limited access to personal vehicles often face barriers to accessing employment opportunities, health care and schools and need more electrified mobility options.
Shared and electric mobility options are one important strategy that can help. That can take several forms: shared electric vehicle services, e-bikes, scooters and first and last mile transit access.
Bike and pedestrian safety are another cornerstone of improving mobility options that compliment Equitable Electric Transportation. The importance of implementing Complete Streets and Vision Zero initiatives in underserved communities is essential to addressing both environmental and economic challenges.
Equitable Electric Transportation also implies capitalizing on the employment and business opportunities that come along with a transition to a cleaner transportation. For lower income communities, support for workforce training and small business development are important to ensuring that this transition brings economic benefits to more households.
NEXT SLIDE
Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we’ve been able to create and implement new programs here at the EPA to address the climate crisis and help advance equitable electric transportation.
The Inflation Reduction Act is the largest investment in environmental justice in U.S. history to empower communities to confront and overcome environmental pollution and climate change challenges.
The Inflation Reduction Act and other new Investing in America funding opportunities provide once-in-a lifetime financing and resources to help communities, especially those that are low-income and disadvantaged, confront the climate crisis and reduce pollution.
Since Day 1 of the Biden-Harris Administration, we have been putting into practice a whole-of-government approach. As we think about the climate crisis and how it exacerbates every existing stressor, then we have to think about tackling it from multiple angles, with a variety of initiatives.
Some of EPA’s programs catalyze a top-down approach to climate action...designed to enable and accelerate state, tribal and local leadership in addressing climate change and inequities; state, local, and tribal officials are encouraged to pursue partnerships to leverage this once-in-a-generation opportunity to make lasting progress to equitably protect people and the planet from air pollution and climate change, while also advancing things like equitable electric transportation.
In addition to all the significant new funding for; building out a national EV charging network, moving toward clean school buses and electrified transit buses; there are other Federal dollars that will be critical for supporting Equitable Electric Transportation:
For example, the Community Fueling Infrastructure Program is a key source of funding aimed at increasing access to clean electric transportation options. It can pay for a wider range of electric vehicle infrastructure than other funding sources.
Programs such as the Safe Streets for All grants can compliment investments in electrified transportation, especially cleaner buses, paratransit services and micro-mobility options.
There are also a wide range of federal and state funds aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions more broadly that can be tapped to support transportation investments that are both electric and equitable.
EPA has been working with our partners at the Department and Energy and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to support work with communities that recognizes these long standing challenges and new opportunities.
NEXT SLIDE
So, with that broad overview – let’s focus specifically on one program - the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program – also known as CPRG.
CPRG provides historic levels of funding to governments for both climate planning and for implementation of greenhouse gas reduction measures.
This ambitious program will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful air pollution for the health and wellbeing of everyone -- including those most vulnerable to the flooding, heat waves, wildfires and other destabilizing impacts of climate change that are becoming more frequent and more severe. These funds can also be used to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing emissions and promoting cleaner transportation options.
CPRG is a $5 billion, two-phase program authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act.
The first phase, which we kicked off last March, is $250 million in planning grants to states, Tribes, territories and local governments for the development and expansion of strong climate action plans.
The second phase is $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants available to states, municipalities, Tribes, and territories to implement ambitious measures outlined in plans developed under the CPRG planning grants that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, spur economic opportunities, and generate other benefits for communities.
So, above all of that, what does CPRG mean for equitable electric transportation?
ONE - Within the CPRG program, there are provisions specifically aimed at advancing equitable electric transportation. This includes both vehicle electrification and non-car alternatives.
TWO - The CPRG program provides flexible support, including technical assistance, to states, local governments, tribes and territories regardless of where they are in their climate planning and implementation process.
THREE – PCAPs, PCAPs, PCAPs. The Priority Climate Action Plans, also known as PCAPs, are an opportunity to incorporate measures to reduce emissions across various sectors, including transportation, and build equitable electric vehicle infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.
NEXT SLIDE
1.7.2013
So, to recap, EPA has designed the CPRG program around the following overarching objectives:
Achieve significant cumulative GHG emissions reductions by 2030 and beyond
Provide benefits to communities, especially low-income and disadvantaged communities
Complement other funding sources, from the Inflation Reduction Act and elsewhere, to maximize the GHG reduction benefits from the CPRG program, and
Pursue innovative policies and programs that can scale – opening opportunities for greater emissions reductions.
NEXT SLIDE
Now – it’s important to also note that it does not matter how much money is out there if those who need it most cannot access it.
Through my many workstreams at the EPA, I also co-lead the Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative, a collaboration between EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) and Office of Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights (OEJECR) which provides information, facilitates community-driven partnerships and engages with communities across the nation around prominent EPA Inflation Reduction Act investments (and other new funding opportunities made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda).
The collaboration aims to provide spaces for the community to learn, connect, and cultivate ideas on how to access these historic resources, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities. This effort includes:
A website hub
A national virtual open house — "The Kickoff”— is the first phase of this collaboration (November 2023).
A roadshow—"The Tour”— is the third phase of this collaboration
NEXT SLIDE
As mentioned, we feature an online resource hub for communities to navigate these historic resources, including funding opportunities and technical assistance services.
The hub:
Highlights IRA program information and provides easily-digestible infographics
Aggregates available EPA IRA technical assistance resource programs into one location for ease-of-access
And showcases geospatial data tools that help drive environmental and climate justice
NEXT SLIDE
The Regional Roadshow helps provide opportunities for community leaders to develop or leverage existing community-based partnerships and explore appropriate Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunities as it relates to their community needs.
We have just completed our third event as a part of the roadshow in Commerce City-North Denver, Colorado, and we are looking forward to our upcoming events in Phoenix, Arizona and Florence, South Carolina.
When I was a little girl in Louisiana, my mama used to sing to me “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”, and as I think about the moment we are in right now, I am hopeful about the people, creative solutions, and impact that can be made.
The “domino effect” of collective collaboration and decision-making resulting in our children being able to breathe healthy air, for them to play in green spaces no matter what community they reside in will take each of us.
To implement innovative solutions and successfully sustain change in our communities, then we will need you to all be part of this.
We are truly excited about these game-changing programs and know that it takes an entire toolbox to mitigate the climate crisis…from different solutions and expertise to ongoing engagement with communities and the utilization of various resources and programs available.
That is all I have for you today. Thank you.
NEXT SLIDE