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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                          SEPTEMBER 06, 2024        |  The Indian Eye 20


        Adams Administration Wins $15 Million Federal



                Grant To Build Nation’s Largest Municipal



                               Curbside EV Charging Program




         City’s Federal Infrastructure Funding Task Force Has Won Total of $850 Million in Competitive Grants


        OUR BUREAU
        NEW YORK, NY

               ew York City Mayor Eric Adams an-
               nounced on Wednesday that New York City
        Nhas won a $15 million federal grant from
        the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging
        and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program to build
        the nation’s largest curbside electric vehicle (EV)
        charging program. The funding will allow for an ad-
        ditional 600 Level 2 chargers to be installed along
        streets  across  the  five  boroughs,  with  more  than
        half of those chargers designated for disadvantaged
        and low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, the
        funding will allow  the  city  to build 32  solar-pow-
        ered charging ports at eight different New York
        City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC
        Parks) locations throughout the city. This builds
        on the city’s existing 100-charger pilot program,
        launched in conjunction with Con Edison, and sup-
        ports the city’s goals to transition 100 percent of
        for-hire vehicle rides to electric or wheelchair-ac-
        cessible vehicles by 2030.                                         Curbside EV Charger at Norman Avenue in Brooklyn. Credit: DOT
           “We’re building a cleaner, greener, and more
        affordable city for all New Yorkers, and through   no New Yorker is left behind in the transition to   they live and work. It will also allow DOT to ad-
        initiatives like this, we’re making sure that no New   a sustainable tomorrow. As a former cab driver, I   vance the development of charging infrastructure
        Yorkers are left behind,” said Mayor Adams. “This   understand how important equity of access will be   for micromobility options like e-bikes in the future.
        $15 million grant will let us build the nation’s larg-  to our efforts to transition for-hire vehicles away   As part of New York City’s comprehensive electri-
        est EV charging program, focused on low-income   from fossil fuels. We thank the Biden-Harris ad-  fication  and  zero  emissions  strategy,  this  project
        and disadvantaged areas so people living in all   ministration, the New York congressional delega-  will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
        five boroughs can afford to drive and charge elec-  tion, Mayor Eric Adams, and our sister agencies   and improve air quality, including averting an es-
        tric vehicles — especially as we continue to tran-  for their support.”                    timated 8,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions
        sition all of our for-hire vehicles to EVs through   “This is a win for both working-class New York-  annually. This emissions reduction is equivalent to
        our ‘Green Rides’ initiative. My thanks to the   ers and for making our city cleaner and more liv-  what’s generated by 20.4 million miles driven by an
        Biden-Harris administration for issuing this grant   able,” said New York City Taxi and Limousine Com-  average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle.
        and to our congressional delegation for helping   missioner David Do. “With the use of EVs surging   Recent federal legislation, including the
        bring this vital funding back home.”          thanks to the ‘Green Rides’ initiative, we know   Biden-Harris administration’s Bipartisan Infra-
           “Supporting the transition to electric vehicles   that the chargers coming out of this grant are not   structure  Law  and  the  Inflation  Reduction  Act,
        means ensuring that everyone has quick and easy   only needed but will go right where they’re needed   have made unprecedented amounts of federal
        access to chargers — especially taxi and for-hire-ve-  most — in neighborhoods where TLC drivers live.”  funding available for key projects across the coun-
        hicle drivers, who will lead the way towards a mod-  This expansion builds on DOT’s successful   try. Recognizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportuni-
        al shift,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera   curbside EV charging pilot, a partnership with   ty, Mayor Adams formed the Federal Infrastruc-
        Joshi. “Deep thanks to the Biden-Harris adminis-  Con Edison. The current system of 100 chargers   ture Funding Task Force. Under Deputy Mayor
        tration and the U.S. Department of Transportation   has the highest utilization of any such system, with   Joshi’s guidance, that task force evaluates the com-
        for their continued investment in New York City’s   an average utilization of 70 percent across all 35   petitive grant opportunities available, with a focus
        evolving and climate-ready streetscape.”      sites  throughout  the  five  boroughs.  Utilization   on new opportunities made possible through both
           “Combined with efforts to promote mass tran-  is measured as the proportion of time an EV is   the  Bipartisan  Infrastructure  Law  and  the  Infla-
        sit and cycling, this grant will help us take a big   plugged into the charger over a 24-hour period   tion Reduction Act, and works to break down silos
        step toward decarbonizing the transportation sec-  each day. These new chargers will play a critical   and foster creativity across city agencies. The city
        tor in New York City. The electrification of trans-  role in the city’s ambitious “Green Rides” initia-  has aligned its priorities for high-quality, sustain-
        portation across five boroughs, including for-hire   tive, which requires Uber and Lyft to transition to   able, and equitable infrastructure with aggressive
        vehicles, is a vital step in combating the climate   100 percent electric or wheelchair-accessible for-  and creative grant applications from a wide range
        crisis for future generations,” said New York City   hire vehicles by 2030. The chargers will support   of  infrastructure  agencies.  To  date,  the  city  has
        Department of Transportation (DOT) Commis-    hard-working, mostly immigrant for-hire vehicles   received over $850 million in competitive federal
        sioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “But we must ensure   drivers with affordable charging options where   infrastructure grant awards from these sources.


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