In This Issue

Clean Cities and Communities National Workshop
Maricopa County Awarded CFI Grant

National Drive Electric Week
Member Spotlight: Maricopa County Air Quality Department

National Clean Cities and Communities Training Workshop

This September 10-12th was the Clean Cities and Communities National Training Workshop. This annual meeting brings the national network of Clean Cities Coalition Directors together with DOE and National Laboratory representatives to network and learn from each other. Both VSCCC’s Director and Co-Director were happy to be able to attend the 3 day workshop held in St. Paul, Minnesota. The workshop was filled with informative break out sessions and stories of successful alternative fuel projects from our fellow coalitions. The event was a wonderful way for directors to share ideas and solutions with each other and a great opportunity to connect with friends both old and new. The Clean Cities and Communities network is full of amazing and dedicated individuals that are all working hard to help their regions achieve clean energy goals. We at the Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition are proud to be a part of this great network and we look forward to another successful workshop next year!

Maricopa County Air Quality Awarded Grant for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Maricopa County Air Quality Department has been awarded a $15 million as part of the Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. This program provides funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. Maricopa County Air Quality Department will use the awarded funds to support its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Improvement Project. The project will increase the number of EV charging stations throughout Maricopa County to make charging more accessible and encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. The project will also include extensive community education and outreach to inform consumers on the importance clean transportation technologies. Find electric vehicle resources on Maricopa County Air Quality Departments website.

National Drive Electric Week - Sept 27-Oct 6, 2024

National Drive Electric Week, Sep 27-Oct 6, 2024, is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. As part of National Drive Electric Week, the city of Phoenix’s Office of Sustainability is hosting several informational webinars as well as a large EV Ride and Drive Event in partnership with Drive Electric Arizona. Event and webinar details below.

Phoenix EV Ride and Drive Event

Saturday, September 28, 2024

8 AM-12PM

North Phoenix Baptist Church

5757 North Central Avenue

Phoenix AZ 85012

Come drive an electric vehicle for yourself and learn all about EV’s from vehicle owners. There will be many EV’s on display and a large variety available for ride and drives. Additionally, there will be informational displays from event organizers and sponsors, including Valley of the Sun EVA, SRP, Wells Fargo, Electrify Arizona, Streamline Solar, San Tan Ford, American Lung Assocation and others. This is a great way to become informed about what you can do as a consumer and resident to improve the quality of life for your family and community. This free Ride and Drive is presented by DRIVE Electric Arizona, Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association, City of Phoenix Office of Sustainability, Salt River Project (SRP), and Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition.

Electric Vehicle Webinars

Overcoming Range Anxiety Webinar

October 1, 2024

6:00 PM Arizona Time

Are you an electric vehicle (EV) owner or considering becoming one? Worried about long-distance travel? Join this free webinar to learn how to overcome range anxiety and make your road trips a breeze!

Ev ownership- cost benefits and incentives webinar

October 3, 2024

6:00 PM Arizona Time

Curious about owning an electric vehicle (EV)? Wondering how much you can save and what incentives are available? Join this free webinar to get insights from experienced EV owners and learn everything you need to know about making the switch!

Maricopa County Air Quality Department works to improve air quality of Maricopa County through multiple different incentives and programs. One of these is the Arizona Clean Diesel Program which utilizes the EPA’s DERA (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act) to provide grants for the updating or replacing of old diesel vehicles with new cleaner versions.

VSCCC strives to provide alternative fuel information to all people within our region. In order to increase our outreach abilities we are working with local agencies to share our newsletter and clean fuel resources with an even greater audience. We are proud to partner with the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona's Air Quality Department, ASU's Sustainable Cities Network and Maricopa County Air Quality Department.