Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee, Chris Hewitt, and Deputy Chair Richard Walls offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Departments of the Environment and Public Works; and

WHEREAS, there are various Federal, New York State (NYS), and utility rebates and grants available to offset the costs of fleet electric vehicle (EVs) purchases as well as fleet and public EV charging station purchases and installations; and

WHEREAS, Order 1 of 2023 directs the Department of Environment, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Ulster County Sheriff, to seek grant funding to complete, by 2025, the installation of electric-vehicle charging at County buildings and facilities to support a transition to a zero-emissions fleet; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature has Enacted Local Law No. 9 of 2015; A Local Law Establishing a Sustainable Green Fleet Policy, and subsequent amendments; and

WHEREAS, said Law established the commitment of the County to move toward zero-emission vehicles by promoting the use of electric, hybrid-electric, hybrid, and sustainable green vehicles by residents; and

WHEREAS, said Law further established a County fleet goal to ensure that a minimum of 20% of the fleet by 2025 are green vehicles with at least 20% of those being zero-emission; and thereafter, annually, that 100% of passenger and light duty truck vehicles purchased, leased or otherwise obtained will be zero-emission vehicles where technically feasible; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County continues to purchase fleet electric vehicle (EVs) as well as purchase and install fleet and public EV charging stations; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County continues to contract with various vendors for the installation of fleet and public EV charging stations, for which anticipated Central Hudson EV Make-Ready Program incentives are discounted from the County’s contracted pricing and for which the vendors will apply for directly as authorized by the County; and

WHEREAS, the Central Hudson EV Make-Ready Program is designed to provide incentives for the development of infrastructure from the electric distribution system up to but excluding the EV charger, with rebates available that cover up to 100% of make-ready costs; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) ChargeReady NY 2.0 Program provides incentives that reduce the cost of purchasing and installing eligible Level 2 charging equipment installed within New York State that provide charging at a public facility within a Disadvantaged Community (DAC), workplace, or at a multi-unit dwelling (MUD), with available incentives up to $4,000 per port installed; and

WHEREAS, via the Federal Inflation Reduction Act Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit tax-exempt organizations that buy a qualified commercial clean vehicle may qualify for a clean vehicle tax credit of up to $40,000 under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 45W, maximum credit is $7,500 for qualified vehicles with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs) of under 14,000 pounds and $40,000 for all other vehicles; and

WHEREAS, periodically new rebate and grant opportunities are announced, to offset the costs of fleet electric vehicle (EVs) purchases as well as fleet and public EV charging station purchases and installations; and

WHEREAS, the County desires to submit various rebate and grant applications to offset the costs of fleet electric vehicle (EVs) purchases as well as fleet and public EV charging station purchases and installations; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Director of the Ulster County Department of the Environment is  hereby authorized to submit online applications through the Central Hudson EV Make-Ready Program, the NYSERDA ChargeReady NY 2.0 Program, the Federal Inflation Reduction Act Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, and other available rebate and grant opportunities to offset the costs of fleet electric vehicle (EVs) purchases as well as fleet and public EV charging station purchases and installations; for up to each respective rebate or grant category’s maximum award amounts, provided such submittals are representative of previously authorized projects and/or appropriations and such submittals do not commit Ulster County to additional appropriations that have not yet been made for,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:    

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ______________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD – ADDITIONAL REVENUE DOLLARS

(DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF VEHICLES PURCHASED)