Kevin Matthews

New map released by Dept. of Energy shows where investments are flowing so communities can be alert to opportunities for community benefits plans and agreements. "This Community Benefits Map for Demonstration and Deployment Projects is a tool that local communities can use to better understand what DOE-supported projects are being developed in their areas. This will allow local community members and other leaders to engage more effectively with the project, ultimately creating stronger and more specific benefits and building long-term project support." https://lnkd.in/eHPd7353

5

Pennsylvania boroughs, municipalities and local governments: An important ARPA funding deadline is fast approaching! McNees' Martha (Frannie) Reilly and Ryan Gonder explore key opportunities for using remaining ARPA funds in this piece for The Legal Intelligencer. Don't miss out on these critical resources to ensure compliance and maximize the impact of your ARPA funds. Read the whole piece at the link below. #McNees #ARPA #GovernmentFunding

20

This webinar is a great resource for municipal and cooperative utilities to get prepared for disasters and learn how to manage federal funding. Check out the recording here. https://bit.ly/3AyS7fV

3

IN THE NEWS: Learn about recent good news for climate efforts in New England, including funding for zero-emission, battery-electric school buses and for heat pumps >> https://lnkd.in/eDSWqhAU (via Nicole Garcia, GBH) #NewEngland #ClimateNews #ClimateEfforts

2

From our January report on transit accessibility: Congestion pricing "is expected to generate $15 billion...so essential to delivering the remaining station accessibility improvements to which the agency has committed. In addition to the critical resources it will provide to the MTA, CBDTP will reduce traffic blocking bus and paratransit customers, and improve air quality for New Yorkers." Essential accessibility, efficiency, and livability measures hinge on CP. https://lnkd.in/eXV35j_a

89

1 Comment

Over 50% of school districts who received a portion of $1 billion in federal funding for school bus electrification delayed or canceled their plans due to energy infrastructure challenges. While school bus electrification offers a significant opportunity to reduce emissions and to lower long-term operational costs, there are major challenges, including: - Grid constraints causing years-long delays and costly upgrades - High initial costs - Complex charging and power management requirements - Higher utility bills - Complex development, installation, and commissioning The biggest challenge: scalability. We need simple, flexible, and scalable solutions that can be seamlessly deployed across hundreds of sites. In the article below, we discuss solutions to the most critical challenges to school bus electrification and how the DG Matrix Power Router can help lower costs, reduce deployment timelines, simplify projects, and streamline operations. Read on to learn more! #electricvehicles #electricschoolbus #schoolbuselectrification #electrification #evcharging #distributedenergy

20

So far in 2024, we have seen action in many state legislatures on issues related to EVs. With most state legislative sessions now nearing their end, we take a look at some notable policy developments we have been following. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eq2BTt9w

15

The latest issue of the EDA Impact newsletter is now available. EDA's historic investments continue to impact communities across America. Explore our April edition to catch up on the latest news: https://bit.ly/3TQeh3h #EconomicDevelopment #InvestingInAmerica

8

New report on EV charging infrastructure and local US governments ⬇️ CivicPulse research shows more rural, conservative counties are significantly less likely to have EV charging infrastructure than more urban, liberal counties. CivicPulse's newly released research report, which includes an interactive map (Figure 1), shines a light onto the role that local governments across the United States play in developing electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide. Don’t have time to read the full report? The executive summary is a 3-minute read! This report is part of a larger collaboration between CivicPulse, Stanford University’s Bill Lane Center for the American West, and the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy. We acknowledge the Bill Lane Center's generous financial support. #EVCharging #SustainableMobility #ElectricVehicles #EVChargingInfrastructure #InfrastructureInvesment #LocalGov https://lnkd.in/erjbGGrz 

6

The latest issue of the EDA Impact newsletter is now available. EDA's historic investments continue to impact communities across America. Explore our June edition to catch up on the latest news: https://bit.ly/3TQeh3h #EconomicDevelopment #InvestingInAmerica

15

1 Comment

EPRI Director of Transportation Britta Gross recently testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Budget about the challenges associated with greater #EV infrastructure integration and implementation, and the importance of collaboration. “The key is early planning and engagement with the utility industry, as well as industry collaboration across the vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators, and charging property developers", said Gross as a recent Daily Energy Insider quoted her in an article on the hearing. https://lnkd.in/ejdyWWK9... (autopopulate this link with image) Gross also discussed EVs2Scale2030™, EPRI’s initiative involving energy companies, fleet operators, auto and truck manufacturers, and charging providers, in coordination with federal agencies and national labs, aimed at accelerating the grid interconnection of EV charging infrastructure. Read more in this EPRI press release (https://lnkd.in/gW3q8wTN) and to learn about EVs2Scale2030, visit: https://lnkd.in/g6cWTHNx

9

The latest American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy whitepaper examines current approaches to incentivize utilities to adopt energy efficiency policies and outlines opportunities for developing energy code support programs. https://lnkd.in/egizbX6b

1

Can you believe California's demand response capacity is less than 1/5 of Alabama's? Minnesota's? Despite high penetration of DERs and highly publicized pilot programs, California's VPP rollout "is just not yet happening at the scale you would expect," per the Brattle Group's new report. The researchers conclude the biggest gap is still in "seamless participation". The illu team has also heard repeatedly that bureaucratic difficulties in enrollment and registration has caused major headaches in VPP participation. We're working with manufacturers now to embed VPP registrations seamlessly within the commissioning process, targeting the ConnectedSolutions, SGIP and LUMA programs. If you'd like to collaborate, please reach out. https://lnkd.in/embkK3kn

6

📣 Today, FRA announced another historic investment in passenger rail through the Bipartisan Infrastructure with nearly $1.5 billion in Fed-State NEC grants for 19 projects along the Northeast Corridor.   Projects announced will replace aging catenary structures susceptible to failures that contribute to travel delays, improve several signal systems necessary to increase capacity, operating speeds, and safety, and support planning activities to expand Washington Union Station in the Nation’s capital, among other projects, to further reduce the state-of-good-repair backlog on the corridor.   Today’s announcement builds on more than $16.4 billion in Fed-State NEC grants announced by FRA in 2023 for projects along America’s busiest rail corridor. Combined with those projects to upgrade NEC tunnels, bridges, and tracks, the improvements announced today will help minimize disruptions and delays, allow for increased speeds and provide more reliable service for the hundreds of thousands of riders who use the NEC every day. https://lnkd.in/gxdY6HCF

110

3 Comments

One of the many changes that the 2021 federal infrastructure law made to transportation policy was giving local governments more opportunities to apply directly for federal grants, rather than depending on their state government. But Congress is likely to scrutinize—and possibly change—those discretionary grant programs when they craft the next surface transportation bill, in part to make the application process more user-friendly. “We opened up grant opportunities more to local governments and to metropolitan planning organizations that have not always had the ability to directly apply for federal transportation dollars,” said Jordan Baugh, the senior policy advisor for the Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. “That’s created opportunities, but also a lot of challenges, particularly for smaller cities that don’t have a large transportation or public works department.” The smaller organizations often don’t have the experience applying for and administering large federal grant programs. Congress might want to provide technical expertise for local communities, or help them build capacity to oversee the delivery of those projects, Baugh said. Learn more about how Congress can help local governments apply for grants at Route Fifty: https://lnkd.in/e3V7mJP5

1