Referred to:  The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairwoman Greene and Legislators Hansut, Levine, Maloney, and Stewart), The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chairwoman Petit and Legislators Erner, Fabiano, Litts, and Nolan), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Roberts, Ronk, and Walter)

Chairwoman of the Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee, Laura Petit, and Deputy Chair Dean J. Fabiano offer the following:

WHEREAS, this Resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Ulster County Department of Public Transportation; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project No. 568 was established pursuant to Resolution No. 111 dated March 17, 2020 in the amount of $256,606.00 for the implementation of electric bus charging infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project No. 568 was amended pursuant to Resolution No. 227 dated May 18, 2021 in the amount of $501,623.00 for the implementation of electric bus charging infrastructure bringing the total estimated cost of the project to $758,229.00 ; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 510 dated December 18, 2018 and Resolution, 493  dated December 19, 2017 amended County Capital Project 513 through funds received following grant applications to the New York State Department of Transportation Modernization and Enhancement Program and allocated funding to UCAT in the amounts of $127,924.00 and $265,000.00 for projects that have been funded through other sources for a total of available state funds of $394,924.00, $2,000.00 of which can now be reallocated and is now available for allocation to this project for a total project cost of $760,229.00; and

WHEREAS, the New York Power Authority is the sole contractor authorized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for the implementation of electric bus charging equipment projects using Volkswagen Settlement Appendix D cost share funds; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature authorized the Chair of the Legislature to enter into a Master Cost Recovery Agreement with NYPA pursuant to Resolution No. 72 dated February 19, 2019; and

WHEREAS, it was determined during design that the site layout should be adjusted to accommodate needs of the UCAT facility and that features should be incorporated into the electrical system design to allow future development of the electrical infrastructure at the site to support full transit fleet electrification; and

WHEREAS, in 2021, the County completed a NYSERDA-funded Transit Electrification Study which identified the best courses of action to fully electrify the UCAT fleet and informed the County’s charging infrastructure needs; and

WHEREAS, the proposed changes to this capital project allowed for installation of an electrical system at the UCAT facility that (1) has capacity for the future installation of additional electric vehicle charging equipment, (2) is configured to be solar-ready for the interconnection of a rooftop solar PV system and (3) allows connection of a generator to supply automatic backup power to both the building and the bus charging equipment; and

WHEREAS, the proposed changes in Phase 2.2 of the upgrades to the transit facility will allow for the installation of a 4^th (fourth) ABB power cabinet and (9) nine ABB overhead ceiling mounted dispensers, battery storage to facilitate depot resiliency, grid and demand flexibility, engineering services for emergency preparedness to include design specifications for a secondary generator and site plan/feasibility study for new utility service, solar array and installation of (1) one DC fast charger; and

WHEREAS, the County has executed a purchase order to Gillig for (2) BEB Battery Electric buses with an expected delivery date of 4^th (fourth) quarter of 2024 with a current UCAT fleet of (3) three New Flyer of America BEB’s and (3) Ford E-Transit fully electric vans; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project No. 568 supports alignment of UCAT’s operations and infrastructure with the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s Final Scoping Plan Strategy T5: Fleet Modernization and Electrification; and

WHEREAS, the required funds necessary to execute the Authorization To Proceed for the amended scope of work is in the amount of $697,000.00; and

WHEREAS, the estimated cost for the proposed changes would create an increase to the project of $697,000.00 bringing the total estimated cost of the project to $1,457,229; and

WHEREAS, the Director of Public Transportation requests that Capital Project No. 568, Electric Bus Charging Infrastructure, be amended to reflect a change in the amount of $697,000.00 to include analysis, development and implementation of electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, energy storage and emergency/resiliency preparedness for Phase 2.2 of the upgrades to the transit facility; and; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Capital Project No. 568 for the purchase of charging infrastructure be amended as follows:

                                               INCREASE                                  AMOUNT

Capital Project No. 568             Charging Infrastructure                  $697,000.00

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2023 Ulster County Capital Fund budget is hereby amended as follows:

                                             INCREASE                                AMOUNT

HH.5997.0568-2300.2550            Construction                             $697,000.00

(App. #)                                        

HH.5997.0568-3500.5710            Serial Bonds                               $697,000.00

(Rev. #),      

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                      NOES:                 

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ______________.

Passed Committee: Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation on __________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$697,000.00 – COUNTY CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$697,000.00 – COUNTY REVENUE – SERIAL BONDS

***A BOND RESOLUTION WILL BE REQUIRED***