February 2024

Advancing Alternative Fuel Use Through Outreach and Collaboration.

In This Issue

  • DERA Grant Workshop with Maricopa County

  • Drive Electric Arizona

  • Events and Funding Announcements

  • Member Spotlight: Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)

DERA Grant Workshop

 

Larz Garcia, VSCCC board member and Grant Program Administrator at Maricopa County Air Quality Department

This February 14th, VSCCC was proud to be able to host a webinar in partnership with the Maricopa County Air Quality Department on the State Clean Diesel or DERA Grant Program. The goal of the DERA grant program is to reduce diesel emissions from older diesel vehicles and improve air quality in the state. To accomplish this, the grant provides funding for local fleets to replace, re-power, or retrofit older higher emitting diesel engines with newer diesels or for the purchase of new alternative fuel vehicles.

Thank you so much to our board member Larz Garcia for sharing his knowledge and expertise with everyone for this webinar. Larz is the grant program administrator at Maricopa County Air Quality Department and is in charge of administering the DERA grant program. He did a great job explaining the details of the DERA grant and walking our webinar participants through the application process.

Applications for the DERA grant are due March 15, 2024. Please see the Clean Diesel Program Webpage for more information and to view a slideshow from the webinar.

Drive Electric Arizona

This month marked the launch of DRIVE Electric Arizona (DEAZ). This new non-profit was created by our friends at Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association as part of a National DRIVE Electric USA Initiative. The DRIVE Electric USA initiative’s goal is to develop state based “Drive Electric” programs across the US in order to advance the adoption of electric vehicles.

The new DEAZ project leaders and their partners will educate consumers, utilities, utility regulators, and government officials; engage auto dealers and fleet leaders; assist in corridor and community EV infrastructure planning; and develop DRIVE Electric chapters in the State of Arizona. The group is already off to a great start having put together several working groups and held multiple Ride and Drive Events this month alone.

VSCCC was so glad to be a part of the creation of this group. After working with the amazing people at Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association, our coalition thought they would be a perfect match for the Drive Electric USA Initiative that our fellow Clean Cities Coalitions were running. We connected the two parties and are so happy that they jumped on the opportunity to bring this nationwide program here to Arizona. Our director Don Covert is now an executive committee member of DEAZ and we look forward to continuing to work with the group as they help promote the use of EV’s in our state.

Upcoming Events

SCN Electric Vehicle Workgroup
Gilbert Electric Fire Truck Tour

You're invited for a tour of the Town of Gilbert's new electric fire truck on Thursday, March 14th, from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. Join the SCN Electric Vehicle Workgroup to learn more about Gilbert's new state-of-the-art electric fire truck. Reserve your place now!

Registered attendees will meet at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility for the tour. Parking & arrival information will be shared via calendar invitation upon registration.

 Event Details: 

Gilbert Public Safety Training Facility
6860 S Power Rd,
Gilbert, AZ 85295

Thursday, March 14, 2024 | 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM MST

Please RSVP by Wednesday, March 6, 2024, to receive tour details. 

For questions, contact Alison Almand, SCN Program Coordinator, at alison.almand@asu.edu. 

CNG Lunch and Learn

Southwest Gas is hosting a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) “Lunch and Learn” event this February 27, 2024. Join CNG industry representatives and other fleet operators to learn more about CNG vehicles and their uses in fleets. This is a great opportunity to learn about the benefits of natural gas vehicles and network with local professionals! Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP by email to Timothy.Tiger@swgas.com

Date: February 27, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM

Location: Southwest Gas Offices

5705 S. Kyrene Rd, Tempe AZ 85283

The Valley of the Sun Electric Vehicle Association, Drive Electric Arizona, City of Phoenix Electric Vehicle Program and the Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition are excited to bring you the Valley's premier Drive Electric Earth Month Event!

Join us on Earth Day, Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 8am to 12pm, and have your chance to get sit in, ride in, or even drive an electric vehicle!  Presented to you by vehicle owners, this is your opportunity to learn about everything an electric vehicle has to offer. In addition to the environmental benefits of driving electric, the experience of driving an EV is unlike any other: exhilarating and fun! This is a family-friendly event, and free to the public to participate. 

There will be EV's on display, and a large variety available for ride and drives. In addition to vehicle displays and ride and drives, there will be informational displays from event organizers and sponsors, including Valley of the Sun EVA, SRP, American Lung Association 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.

Arizona Electric Fleet Day by TE Activator

April 3rd, 2024

10am-3pm

Mesa Convention Center

Join us for Arizona Electric Fleet Day 2024. We invite fleet operators and managers of all sizes and sectors to learn about local resources for fleet electrification and transition planning. Event programming includes:

  • Expert panels of fleet transition planning, electric fleet management, government and utility grants and incentives

  • EV solutions showcase featuring EV models and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)

  • Networking opportunities

Get the answers to your most anticipated questions! Refreshments and lunch will be provided. 

Check out last year's fleet day here.

For questions or interest in becoming an exhibitor, please contact info@electrifyarizona.org

Funding Opportunities

Clean Bus Planning Awards

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has announced the $5 million Clean Bus Planning Awards (CBPA) program, funded by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office).

Managed by NREL, the CBPA program provides free technical assistance to create comprehensive and customized bus electrification plans for school and transit fleets across the United States. Applications for assistance are open on a rolling basis, giving fleets an opportunity to fully understand their needs before applying for support. This new program will reduce the burden of electrification by helping fleet managers create a step-by-step plan to transition their bus fleet.

Eligible Applicants include:

  • State and local governmental entities providing bus service, including public school districts and charter schools.

  • Private school bus fleets with an active contractual agreement to serve a public school district.

  • Nonprofit school transportation associations.

  • Tribes, tribal organizations, or tribally controlled schools responsible for the purchase of school buses or providing school bus service for a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)-funded school.

  • Direct or designated recipients of FTA grants, including state and local governmental authorities, and tribes.

Technology Integration Funding Opportunity

Today, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced $15 million in new funding for projects that will advance deployment of technologies critical to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. The funding will drive innovation in equitable clean transportation and is aligned with strategies detailed in the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. 

The funding is administered through the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Topic areas in VTO’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Technology Integration funding opportunity include:

  • Clean Cities Outreach, Engagement, and Technical Assistance

  • Training on Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Technologies for Critical Emergency Response Workers

  • Clean Transportation Demonstration and Deployment.

    Read VTO’s FY 2024 Technology Integration funding opportunity. Applicants must submit a concept paper by March 12, 2024, and full applications are due April 30, 2024. 

    Learn more about this and other funding opportunities on VTO’s funding webpage. 

Member Spotlight

Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)

The Arizona Department of Transportation is a multimodal transportation agency serving Arizona. ADOT is responsible for planning, building and operating a complex highway system in addition to building and maintaining bridges and the Grand Canyon airport. A major component of the organization is the Motor Vehicle Division.

ADOT is also working towards reducing emissions with programs such as its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan and Alternative Fuel Corridors and NEVI program. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program made $5 billion available for the deployment of publicly accessible EV chargers nationwide along roads that states select as alternative fuel corridors (AFC).

The goal is to deploy a convenient, affordable, reliable, and equitable network of EV fast chargers along the nation’s highways and, thus, to encourage adoption of electric vehicles. Over the five years of the NEVI program, the state is set to receive $76.5 million in federal dollars to establish publicly accessible EV charging stations along Arizona’s designated AFC, which are currently the Interstate highways. ADOT plans to add additional highways to the AFC network as it updates its annual EV plan.

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.

OUR NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH

Translations done by Diego Montemayor- Diego@cleanairaz.org

January 2024

 

Advancing Alternative Fuel Use Through Outreach, Collaboration and Research.

 

In This Issue

  • ADOT Seeking Bids for EV Charging Stations

  • Arizona Communities Awarded CFI Grant Funds

  • Love’s Gas Stations in AZ Receive Funds to Upgrade Ethanol Dispensers

  • Upcoming Events, Webinars and Funding

ADOT Accepting Bids FOr Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is now seeking bids for private entities to build 21 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations along designated interstate highways. The construction of these stations will be funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.The goal of the program is to deploy a network of EV fast chargers along the nation’s highways and encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.

Arizona is set to receive $76.5 million in federal dollars over 5 years to establish publicly accessible EV charging stations along Arizona’s designated Alternative Fuel Corridors which currently include the interstate highways. This first round of charging station construction will be focused on these interstate highways.

There are specific requirements for NEVI funded charging stations. For example, they need to be spaced no more than 50 miles apart, and must be within a mile of a freeway interchange. Each station must also include at least four chargers that can charge a typical electric vehicle within 20-30 minutes. Charging stations will be privately owned and operated, with federal NEVI funds covering 80% of construction costs. Bids are due April 19, 2024.

Visit https://azdot.gov/ev-infrastructure-implementation for more information.

Arizona Communities awarded CFI grant Funds for EV charging Infrastructure

Three communities in Arizona have been awarded funds through the $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program. The CFI grant program provides funds for EV charging and other alternative fuel infrastructure projects.

Arizona awardees from this round of funding include the city of Mesa along with Cochise County and the San Carlos Apache Tribal Council. The city of Mesa has been awarded $12 million to build 48 electric vehicle chargers for a variety of vehicle sizes, charging docks for e-bikes and e-scooters, and solar canopies to support electricity generation at the stations.

Cochise county will receive $500,000 for the addition of six solar-powered Level-2 EV chargers in Sierra Vista, Bisbee, and Willcox, with stations to be located near major highways or public transport stops. 

The San Carlos Apache Tribal Council will also receive $500,000 to install 4 EV charging station sites within the San Carlos Apache Reservation as well as one additional charging station in Safford. 

In all, this round of the CFI Discretionary Grant Program will fund 47 EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico, including construction of approximately 7,500 EV charging ports.

Love’s Travel Stops Receives Funding to Upgrade Dispensers at 6 Gas Stations in Arizona for E15 Fuel Use

Love’s Travel Stops Inc has been awarded $340,000 in funding through the U.S Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) provides grants to fueling station and distribution facility owners, including marine, rail, and home heating oil facilities, to expand access to domestic biofuels, and increase sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel.

The USDA’s Higher Blends program is expanding renewable fuel infrastructure and helping business owners to install and upgrade fuel pumps, dispensers and storage tanks for higher blends of biofuels. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. will be using funds from the program to retrofit dispensers at six gas stations across Arizona including ones in Eloy, Chandler, Gila Bend, Williams, Benson, and Joseph City to be compatible with E15.

E15 is a blend of gasoline and 15% ethanol. The use of ethanol in gasoline improves engine function and reduces emissions. E15 can be used in flexible fuel vehicles as well as conventional vehicles model year 2001 and newer. Biofuels such as ethanol are a clean and affordable source of energy and have the added benefit of being made right here in the USA. Using biofuels helps reduce harmful emissions and improves air quality.

EVENTS

DERA Grant Writing Workshop

FEBRUARY 14, 2024

10:00 AM ARIZONA TIME

Applications for the Arizona State Clean Diesel or DERA Grant Program are now open. The goal of the DERA grant program is to reduce diesel emissions from older diesel vehicles and improve air quality in the state. To accomplish this, the grant provides funding for local fleets to replace, repower, or retrofit older higher emitting diesel engines with newer diesels or for the purchase of new alternative fuel vehicles.

Please join Larz Garcia, grant program administrator at Maricopa County Air Quality Department, for an informational Grant Writing Workshop this February 14th at 10 am. The workshop will explain the details of the DERA grant program and walk participants through the application process.

Southwest Gas CNG “Lunch and Learn”

February 27, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: 5705 S. Kyrene Rd, Tempe AZ 85283

Southwest Gas is hosting a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) “Lunch and Learn” event this February 27, 2024. Join CNG industry representatives and other fleet operators to learn more about CNG vehicles and their uses in fleets. This is a great opportunity to learn about the benefits of natural gas vehicles and network with local professionals! Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP by email to Timothy.Tiger@swgas.com

Webinars

Permitting and Site Selection Strategies for EV Charging Infrastructure Webinar

Feb. 13, 2024, 2-3 p.m. ET 

Join the Joint Office for the first of a two-part webinar series planning for permitting, zoning, and building code considerations for EV charging infrastructure. 

Navigating Zoning for EV Charging Infrastructure Webinar

Feb. 15, 2024, 2-3:30 p.m. ET 

Join the Joint Office for the second in a two-part webinar series on planning for permitting, zoning, and building code considerations for EV charging infrastructure. 

Curbside EV Charging Strategies webinar

Feb. 27, 2024, 2-3 p.m. ET

The Joint Office will host a webinar on best practices, challenges, and strategies for effectively planning, deploying, and operating EV curbside charging projects.

Funding

EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program Deadline Extended

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA’s Clean School Bus (CSB) Program provides $5 billion over five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models. The rebate program application deadline has been extended to February 14, 2024. The program guidance and application process differs from prior EPA school bus rebate programs, use the button below to learn more.

Member Spotlight

We just wanted to give a quick shout out to our Coalition Chair, Mike Heath for his recent award from his home city of Wickenburg. This month, Mike was presented with the “Tip of the Stetson” award from the Wickenburg Chamber of Congress in recognition of his community involvement. Congratulations Mike!

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.

Our newsletter is also available in Spanish

Translations done by Diego Montemayor- Diego@cleanairaz.org

December 2023

In This Issue

  • Happy holidays!

  • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  • Member Spotlight- Evolved EV Charging Solutions

Happy Holidays From The VSCCC Team!

VSCCC staff from left to right: Brenna Covert (Co-Director), Diego Montemayor (Social Media Editor and Spanish Translator) and Don Covert (Director)

From all of us at Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition, we want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season! This has been a great year our coalition. We welcomed new staff members, new coalition members, and participated in several successful events. We also enjoyed attending this years Clean Cities National Workshop and Stakeholder Summit. We are so grateful for all of the wonderful people and organizations we have had the pleasure of working with in 2023 and look forward to next year!

Funding Announcements

National Clean Hydrogen Strategy Funding

The Department of Energy has released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for up to $59 million to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) of affordable clean-hydrogen technologies. Projects supported by this funding will reduce the cost and improve the performance of critical elements of hydrogen infrastructure, demonstrate innovative end-use applications for clean hydrogen, and streamline and improve processes essential to the efficient, timely, and equitable deployment of clean hydrogen technologies.

DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) will administer this FOA, which focuses on: advancing fueling infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) vehicles and other heavy transportation applications; developing and demonstrating hydrogen-based zero-emissions equipment for seaport facilities; addressing key challenges to siting, permitting, and installation; and improving community engagement and outreach to support environmental justice (EJ) and ensure equitable deployment of clean hydrogen systems.

USDA- Rural Energy for America Program-Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants

The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.

Eligible borrowers are:

  • Rural small businesses.

  • Agricultural producers.

What is an eligible area?

  •  Projects must be located in rural areas with populations of 50,000 residents or less*. 

  •  Check eligible rural areas

Funds may be used for the purchase and installation of renewable energy systems, such as:

  • Biomass (for example: biodiesel and ethanol, anaerobic digesters, and solid fuels).

  • Geothermal for electric generation or direct use.

  • Hydropower below 30 megawatts.

  • Hydrogen.

  • Small and large wind generation.

  • Small and large solar generation.

  • Ocean (tidal, current, thermal) generation.

Funds may also be used for the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements.

Agricultural producers may also use guaranteed loan funds to install energy efficient equipment and systems for agricultural production or processing.

There are multiple application windows for this grant program: December 31, 2023, March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024.

Department of Transportation- Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)

This funding opportunity is for planning or constructing surface transportation infrastructure projects that will improve safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, community connectivity, economic competitiveness including tourism, and innovation. 

Application Deadline: 2/28/2024

Funding for Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Recycling and Second Life Applications

The Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Recycling and Second-Life Applications Program is a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Funding for this program is focused on the research, development, and demonstration of second-life applications for electric drive vehicle batteries as well as technologies and processes for final recycling and disposal of EV batteries. Concept paper applications are due 2/7/24, final applications due 4/19/24.

Additional Funding Information

USDA Rural Development Newsletter: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDARD/bulletins/380c4e3

Department of Energy Funding: https://www.energy.gov/funding-financing

USDA programs in Arizona: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/az

Member Spotlight

VSCCC is very happy to welcome Evolved as a a new member of our coalition! Evolved EV Charging Solutions is an EV charging solution provider based in Tempe, Arizona. As an SRP Electrification Qualified Service Provider (eQSP), they bring excellence to the valley with customized charging solutions tailored to customers needs. With industry relationships and background in EV infrastructures, Evolved specializes in station design, engineering, installation, and service. Evolved is bringing fast, reliable turnkey EV charging solutions to all of its customers including commercial and multi-family properties.

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.

OUR NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH!

Translations done by Diego Montemayor- diego@cleanairaz.org

November 2023

In This Issue

  • Li-Cycle Recycling Facility tour

  • Upcoming webinars

  • Funding opportunities

Li-Cycle Lithium Battery Recycling Facility

This month VSCCC was very happy to be able to help arrange a tour of Li-Cycle for our friends at the Intertribal Council of Arizona. As communities and tribes investigate adopting electric vehicles (EV’s), they are faced with many different concerns. One of these concerns is the potential impacts of spent EV batteries on the environment. EV’s may be a low emission vehicle, but their batteries pose a special challenge when they need to be disposed of.

That’s where Li-Cycle comes in. The company specializes in recycling lithium-ion batteries, especially those from EV’s. Their facility here in Gilbert Arizona is specially designed to break down and reclaim important materials from the batteries it receives. Using a closed loop underwater system, batteries go through several steps of shredding and sorting to break them back down into their base materials. At the end of this process, three different materials are reclaimed. These are plastics, metals, and black mass. This black mass consists of the precious metals found in batteries including Lithium. All these recovered materials are then sent to other facilities where they are used in the production of new products, as fuel, or in the case of the black mass, made into new batteries.

As the country adopts more EV’s, facilities such as Li-Cycle will become even more important. Recycling operations highlight just how important it is to consider the full lifecycle of alternative fuel vehicles such as EV’s. This means looking at more than just the tail pipe emissions of a vehicle. Consideration must also be given to the environmental impacts of acquiring the materials needed for building the vehicle as well as the disposal of those materials once the product reaches the end of its useable life. Recycling processes like those at Li-Cycle can make disposal of EV materials safer and put critical materials back into the battery manufacturing process.

Remember to dispose of electronics and batteries appropriately. For safety reasons, lithium batteries should not be thrown into regular trash or recycling receptacles. Check your community for a battery recycling program or hazardous waste drop off service. Check out the EPA’s page on Battery Recycling to see best practices and locate a recycling or drop off site near you.

Webinars

Working with Electric Utilities in Public Transportation’s Zero-Emission Transition

November 29, 2023 at 2pm EST

On Wednesday, November 29, FTA will co-host a webinar with the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) with tips for transit agencies to work with public electric utilities as they transition to  zero-emission vehicles. Attend to learn more about reviewing the physical infrastructure and power-supply required to charge multiple battery electric buses at a time, and ways to work out the most favorable rates.

SRP Coffee Connection: Grants and Funding for Electrification

December 5th, 2023 at 11:30 MST

Join SRP Tuesday, December 5th at 11:30 a.m. MST for an a SRP Coffee Connection that will focus on the tools available to help commercial customers fund their electrification projects and how SRP’s rebate programs can assist them. Topics covered will include current funding and grants available for qualifying electrification projects, barriers and hurdles, how to apply for rebates, and more. Plus, guest speaker Carolyn Powell with Merchants Fleet will join to share insider knowledge on the best grants and rebates for businesses.

Reserve your spot using the link below. You will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar. Please feel free to pass this invite along

Future of Public Transportation: Online Dialogue

November 20-January 5, 2023

The Federal Transit Administration is looking for input on its research and demonstration program. It would like to hear ideas and suggestions from stakeholders as it works to answer the following questions. How can technology and innovation be used to improve safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide more resilient transit systems, grow the economy, improve people’s mobility options, and connect communities? How can innovation improve mobility and accessibility for people with disabilities to jobs and other opportunities? Lend your ideas to our Future of Public Transportation online dialogue. Register and share your insights, experiences and suggestions on ways research, technology and innovation can help make public transit safer, cleaner, greener, more resilient, and more equitable. 

FTA seeks comments from stakeholders including:

  • representatives within the industry

  • community organizations representing the transportation needs and interests of people with disabilities

  • organizations and groups with an interest in mobility, sustainability, and transit

  • people with ideas or interest in this topic

The online dialogue will be open November 20-January 5, 2024.

Funding

Waste Analysis and Strategies for End uses (WASTE)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) announced their intent to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to support the development of community planning and strategies for converting organic waste into feedstock for various clean transportation fuel products. The WASTE: Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-uses funding opportunity would help local communities develop cost-effective approaches to sustainably manage their waste stream infrastructures. It would also help municipalities and local transportation authorities meet local demand for energy that can be derived from these waste streams.

The potential FOA is expected for December 2023 and could include up to $7.5 million in federal funding to achieve the above outcomes by focusing on the following topic areas:

  • Supporting communities’ development of in-depth feasibility analyses of potential waste-to-fuels solutions,

  • Supporting communities with completed feasibility studies to advance detailed engineering designs and, in some cases, support the initiation of experimental work and data generation to further define project concepts.

Competitive Grant Funding Matrix Webpage Resource

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and FHWA have a variety of competitive grant programs used to fund various types of transportation projects and activities. The Grant Funding Matrix is a place to view or search for these programs in one convenient location. The FHWA will continue to add additional programs/information to this page over the weeks, months, and years to come.

We at Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition are so grateful for all the wonderful people we have had the pleasure of working with this year. We want to give a big thank you to all of our members, contacts, friends and families and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We couldn’t do what we do without you!

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.

OUR NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH!

Translations done by Diego Montemayor- diego@cleanairaz.org

October 2023

In This Issue

  • Phoenix EV RIDE AND DRIVE EVENT

  • Congrats to our Excellent Stakeholders!

  • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

  • Upcoming Webinars

Phoenix EV Ride and Drive Event

People in line to sign up for a ride or drive in one of the many EV’s at the event. Thank you Scottsdale EVA for providing the EV’s and coordinating the ride and drives!

Brenna Covert (VSCCC ) and Larz Garcia (VSCCC Board Member) at the VSCCC booth.

Jessica Randon from City of Phoenix Office of Sustainability at her booth. Jessica did an amazing job coordinating this event!

Our EV Ride and Drive was a great success! On September 30th, VSCCC partnered with the City of Phoenix office of Sustainability and Scottsdale Electric Vehicle Association to put on a ride and drive event at N. Phoenix Baptist Church. The event was well attended with over 150 ride and drives and over 25 different EV’s on site. Scottsdale EVA members generously volunteered their time and personal EV’s for this event so that attendees could experience what EV options are on the market right now. The event also had booths with representatives from EV companies such as Lucid, local companies like Legacy EV and Lectric e-bikes, as well as utilities and county departments. We were very excited to see so many people taking an interest in electric vehicles and hope to be able to do more events like this in the future.

Stakeholder Excellence Awards

Bill Kohn from the City of Scottsdale and Don Covert of VSCCC.

Andy Rhea from Southwest Gas.

Anthony Cadorin from the City of Mesa.

We just wanted to congratulate our stakeholders once again for winning the Stakeholder Excellence award at the National Clean Cities Network Stakeholder Summit last month. We were so glad to be able to bring awards back for our members who couldn’t make it to the summit. Thank you to Bill Kohn from the City of Scottsdale, Andy Rhea from Southwest Gas, and Anthony Cadorin from the City of Mesa for your continued support of our coalition and its mission!

Funding Opportunities

Energywerx Voucher Programs

Energywerx Voucher Program Funding https://www.energywerx.org/opportunities

The DOE Voucher Program builds bridges between U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers or other relevant partners and third-party voucher providers to advance commercialization and demonstration at scale of innovative energy technologies.

Voucher Opportunity 2- Performance Validation, Modeling, and Certification Support

Due: November 16, 2023

Voucher Opportunity (VO-2) enables evaluation of technology performance under certification-relevant operating conditions, accelerated lifetime testing to test for failure modes, and access to advanced modeling and digitization resources.

DOE has selected and pre-approved a cohort of voucher providers offering a variety of capabilities you might be interested in. For this voucher opportunity, capabilities include:

  • Performance Validation

  • Certification

  • Simulation/Modeling

Voucher Projects: Expected max voucher worth $250,000 of work. Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:

-   With OCED funding:

  • Advanced nuclear

  • Carbon management (including carbon capture and direct air capture)

  • Long-duration energy storage

  • Clean hydrogen

  • Industrial decarbonization

  • Upgrades to the electric grid

-   With EERE funding:

  • Advanced materials and Manufacturing Technologies

  • Building efficiency

  • Geothermal

  • Solar

  • Water

  • Wind

  • Bioenergy

  • Vehicle technologies

 

Voucher Opportunity 3- Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support

Due: November 16, 2023

Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) enables expert assistance to help AHJs understand new clean energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on related issues.

DOE has selected and pre-approved a cohort of voucher providers offering a variety of capabilities you might be interested into. For this voucher opportunity, capabilities include:

  • Siting/Permitting

  • Process Improvement

  • Community Engagement

When you apply, you will review the available capabilities and submit your preferences in the submittable form. If you find something that can be valuable to your company and that can enable your company to accelerate demonstration, commercialization, and deployment of your product, please consider applying to receive that in kind support.

Voucher Projects: Expected max voucher worth $100,000 of work. Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:

-   With OCED funding:

  • Advanced nuclear

  • Carbon management (including carbon capture and direct air capture)

  • Long-duration energy storage

  • Clean hydrogen

  • Industrial decarbonization

  • Upgrades to the electric grid

-   With EERE funding:

  • Advanced materials and Manufacturing Technologies

  • Building efficiency

  • Geothermal

  • Solar

  • Water

  • Wind

  • Bioenergy

  • Vehicle technologies

Energywerx Voucher Program Funding https://www.energywerx.org/opportunities

 

DOE EXPERT MATCH PROGRAM

The Clean Energy to Communities Program offers an Expert Match Program, which provides between 40 and 60 hours of tailored technical assistance to help communities and local leaders address short-term energy challenges.  Expert Match is for community stakeholders who have decision-making power or influence in their community but need access to additional clean energy expertise to inform key upcoming decisions. Community stakeholders can represent city, town or local governments, tribal governments, regional planning organizations, community organizations, utilities, and universities among others.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit an application HERE.

 

Communities Leap Program

Due December 14, 2023

The DOE Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) aims to facilitate sustained community-wide economic and environmental benefits primarily through DOE’s clean energy deployment work. This opportunity is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels.

Under Communities LEAP, DOE matches selected communities with technical assistance providers who assist them with bringing their clean energy planning and economic development vision to life. DOE’s Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) application period is now open.

NREL will provide technical assistance to support 24-32 low-income, energy-burdened communities in shaping their community-based clean energy and economic development goals. Interested applicants can review eligibility criteria, read frequently asked questions, and apply through DOE’s Communities LEAP website.

Webinars

EV Charging Resources and Technical Assistance for Tribal Nations

November 15, 2023, 2-3pm ET

The Joint Office will host a webinar on resources and technical assistance available to Tribal Nations for EV charging infrastructure projects. The webinar will focus on Tribal EV initiatives through the White House Council on Native American Affairs, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rural EV Toolkit, as well as updates to the Joint Office Tribal Nations Resource and Technical Assistance page specific to Tribes from the Rural EV Toolkit that includes tribal specific EV funding opportunities, resources, and success stories.Visit the DriveElectric.gov webinar page for upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.

Sustainable Cities Network- Federal Infrastructure Workgroup Meeting- Climate pollution reduction grant

November 2, 2023 10-11:30 AM MST

As funding becomes available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Federal Infrastructure Workgroup convenes Arizona communities through strategic collaboration to secure federal funding for infrastructure projects related to green infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations, ecosystem restoration, and more. This workgroup meets once a month to present community updates, discuss best practices for collaboration and grant writing, and to highlight member accomplishments.

 

EV Charging-The new workplace requirement

November 9, 2023 10:00 PST

EV charging is a must-have for workplaces for a variety of reasons. But how do you get started with an EV charging program at your workplace, and more important, what is the impact in this changing landscape as more people are returning to the office? In this webinar, you’ll hear from workplace EV charging experts at CBRE, CALSTART’s Charge@Work program and ChargePoint on trends as they relate to the impact of EV charging at the workplace. You’ll also discover tools to help assess your own property for workplace EV charging.

In Other News

Check out some of these other news articles and updates from the clean energy field.

2023 NGV America Conference-Speaker Presentations available online

If you missed the recent Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGV) conference you can now view the speaker presentations online at this link.

American Battery Factory bReaks ground in Tuscon

American Battery Factory, a lithium iron phosphate battery manufacturer has broken ground on a two million square foot gigafactory located in Tucson, Arizona. Read the article HERE.


September 2023

In This Issue

  • Clean Cities 30th Anniversary and Stakeholder summit

  • NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK-EV RIDE AND DRIVE EVENT

  • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Clean Cities 30th Anniversary and Stakeholder Summit

This month, The Valley of the Sun Clean Cities Coalition attended the 2023 Clean Cities Stakeholder Summit and 30th Year Anniversary of Clean Cities. During its years of operation, the Clean Cities network has built support, connections within the transportation industry, and active partnerships with over 20,000 public and private stakeholders.

Starting in 1993 with six coalitions in Atlanta, Denver, Philadelphia, Delaware, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C., the national network now includes more than 75 active coalitions, covering more than 85% of the U.S. population and nearly every state. Over the past 30 years, coalition activities have saved the equivalent of 13 billion gallons of gasoline and eliminated more than 67 million tons of emissions through the use of alternative fuels and fuel efficient technologies and practices.

The Stakeholder Summit brought together the entire Clean Cities Coalition Network, including coalition leaders, stakeholders, DOE representatives, and national laboratory staff. The daylong event celebrated the history and accomplishments of Clean Cities and recognized the work that coalition directors and their stakeholders are doing in their regions to reduce the use of petroleum fuels and improve air quality.

VSCCC was proud to be able to host several of our stakeholders at the Summit, including representatives from SRP, City of Phoenix, Maricopa County Air Quality, ASU Sustainable Cities Network, and Arizona Department of Transportation. We are so grateful to have the support of such a dedicated group of people and organizations.

During the event, Clean Cities and the DOE presented our stakeholders with awards in “Stakeholder Excellence” in recognition of their many accomplishments in alternative fuel use. Congratulations to SRP, APS, Southwest Gas, Maricopa County Air Quality Department, ASU Sustainable Cities Network and the Cities of Phoenix, Mesa, and Scottsdale for their outstanding efforts in clean fuels and sustainability! These amazing stakeholders helped our region displace 95,347,554 Gasoline Gallon Equivalents and reduce over 662,700 tons of Green House Gas Emissions in 2022! With the help of our stakeholders, Arizona is now one of the top states in alternative fuel adoption and emission reductions!

Clean Cities has been bringing people and organizations together for 30 years with the common goal of improving air quality in our communities. After witnessing the dedication and enthusiasm of coalition directors and stakeholders at this Summit, we think it is safe to say that the Clean Cities Network and mission will be around for another thirty years or more.

National Drive Electric Week- EV Ride and Drive

National Drive Electric Week, Sep 22-Oct 1, 2023, is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. People and organizations across the country are participating in National Drive Electric Week by putting on ride and drives, presenting informational webinars and hosting other community events. VSCCC is partnering with the City of Phoenix’s Office of Sustainability and Scottsdale EVA to put on an EV Ride and Drive Event this September 30th.

Come ride and drive in a variety of electric vehicles, talk with EV owners, learn about the benefits of electric vehicles and what models are available. Visit with representatives from companies such as Lucid, Rivian, Legacy EV, Buzze and more .

The Ride and Drive will be held at North Phoenix Baptist Church in Phoenix along with the Uptown Farmers Market. The farmers market hosts many local venders and food trucks that offer a variety of produce, goods, and delicious food.

This is event is a great chance to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle and enjoy the many vendors at the neighboring farmers market. We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Webinars and Events

City of Phoenix Office of Sustainability EV Webinars

Clean Cities to Communities Informational Webinar with NREL

Please join this informational webinar about the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) program, hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with the World Resources Institute. Local governments, tribes, planning organizations, utilities, and community-based organizations are eligible to receive support through C2C.

Mullen EV Tour- Coming to Casa Grande, Arizona Nov 6-7, 2023

The electric vehicle company, Mullen, is touring locations across the country to showcase their line up of electric vehicles. The "Strikingly Different" test drive tour offers the opportunity to experience a variety of their electric vehicles ranging from personal vehicles and sports cars to commercial vans. This tour will be making a stop at the Podium Club in Casa Grande, AZ this November 6-7th.

Mullen Tour Brochure

Location:

Podium Club at Attesa
6870 S Bianco Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85193

 Dates:
November 6-7th, 2023

Funding Opportunities

Electric Vehicle Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator

Applications for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator program are now open. This program will provide up to $100 million in federal funding to repair and replace non-operational EV charging infrastructure. Only state DOTs and local governments are eligible to apply. Applications are due by Nov. 13, 2023.

More information on this funding opportunity can be viewed HERE.

R-Step Renewable Energy Siting Program

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a new initiative to support states and local communities as they plan for and evaluate proposed development of large renewable energy facilities. The Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program will support the creation of new, or the expansion of existing, state-based programs or initiatives that improve renewable energy planning and siting processes for local communities.

The R-Step program is being managed by Energywerx in partnership with the DOE. Learn more about the program and application on the Energywerx webpage.

Applications are due Nov 3, 2023.

C2C Peer learning Cohorts

The Clean Energy to Communities program provides communities with expertise and tools to achieve their clean energy goals. C2C is funded by DOE and managed by NREL.

 DOE has announced the next topics for the Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) peer-learning cohorts. These cohorts will regularly convene approximately 10-15 communities over six months to exchange strategies and best practices and learn from each other and national laboratory experts on the following topics: 

  • Evaluating and Prioritizing Municipal Buildings for Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Investment 

  • Enhancing Resilience at Critical Municipal Facilities Through Solar, Storage, and Microgrids 

  • Designing Engagement to Shape Community-Wide Transportation Electrification  

Applications for these cohorts opened on Monday September 18, 2023 and close on October 31, 2023.   

DOE Expert Match Program

The Clean Energy to Communities Program also offers and Expert Match Program, which provides between 40 and 60 hours of tailored technical assistance to help communities and local leaders address short-term energy challenges.  Expert Match is for community stakeholders who have decision-making power or influence in their community but need access to additional clean energy expertise to inform key upcoming decisions. Community stakeholders can represent city, town or local governments, tribal governments, regional planning organizations, community organizations, utilities, and universities among others.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit an application HERE.

Upcoming Clean Energy to Communities Webinar: Friday September 29, 2023. 1-2 PM ET.

Member Spotlight

City of Phoenix

VSCCC is proud to have the City of Phoenix as a member of our coalition. As one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the USA, Phoenix is a great place to live, work and visit. The city is also a leader in alternative fuel use and sustainable practices. In fact the City of Phoenix was just awarded the Top Green Fleet of 2023 Award from the National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA). The City’s fleet includes vehicles that run on a variety of alternative fuels including CNG, RNG, Biodiesel, Ethanol and Electricity. Congratulations Phoenix on this well deserved award!

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.

OUR NEWSLETTER IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH!

Translations done by Diego Montemayor- diego@cleanairaz.org

THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS!

City of Phoenix