Explanation
The Finance and Management Department, Fleet Management Division, is eligible to participate in a grant opportunity in partnership with Clean Fuels Ohio for a grant with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). This funding opportunity is titled "Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant (DERG) Program for Equipment Replacement, Repower, Retrofit and Anti-Idle" and is intended to fund cost-shared projects that result in reductions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and/or fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions from pollutant sources. In order to be eligible for this grant opportunity, equipment must be operated in Ozone "nonattainment" areas of Ohio for at least 65% of the time. Franklin County is a nonattainment county and all City of Columbus equipment will be operated in Franklin County 100% of the time, thereby meeting the eligibility standard.
Clean Fuels Ohio is planning to partner with local governments, school districts, airport authorities, counties and non-profits around the state for the purpose of requesting funds. Evaluation of applications by the Ohio EPA is based on two criteria: total projected emission reductions and cost effectiveness of emission reductions. Higher emission reductions and greater cost effectiveness will result in higher ranking of an application, making multiple applications, bundled as a partnership, more competitive. Clean Fuels Ohio anticipates requesting the maximum award of $10 million. The Fleet Management Division's portion of the funding request will be focused on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Refuse vehicles. Fleet Management anticipates requesting funding for up to 32 CNG Refuse vehicles, to be located in the Department of Public Service, in the Division of Refuse Collection. Refuse vehicles are eligible to receive funding for up to 80% of the total cost of a new alternatively fueled vehicle, less core or scrap value. Additional CNG Refuse vehicles support the city's efforts to expand our CNG fueling infrastructure and increase our use of CNG fuel. The City's first CNG fueling station has been in operation since April 2012 at 4211 Groves Road. A second CNG fueling station is currently in the design phase and will be located on Morse Road. This second station is expected to be operational and dispensing fuel by 4th quarter 2013.
Clean Fuels Ohio will be the grant applicant as well as the fiduciary for grant funds. The City of Columbus will be a partner in the application and will be responsible for the administration of its portion of grant funds received, should the grant request be awarded. The federal grant application deadline is January 16, 2013, with announcement of award scheduled for March 16, 2013. Clean Fuel Ohio has a deadline of December 17, 2012 for partner applications to be received.
This project supports the efforts and recommendations of the Mayor's "Green Team", which created a subcommittee focused on reducing emissions from City-owned vehicles. Projects included in this grant application are a result of plans formulated by this committee, Fleet Management and Clean Fuels Ohio.
Fiscal Impact: If awarded, the grant requires a 20% match for all projects. The match would come from the capital budget of the Refuse division. Vehicles for the project will be selected from ones currently budgeted in the 2012-2013 Refuse capital budgets to minimize the need for additional funds.
Emergency action is requested so that the January 16, 2013 grant application deadline can be met, as well as the Clean Fuels Ohio deadline of December 17, 2012.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director, on behalf of the Fleet Management Division, to partner with Clean Fuels Ohio for the purpose of applying for funds through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant (DERG) Program to fund Columbus Fleet Management's alternative fueled vehicle projects; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Fleet Management Division, in partnering with Clean Fuels Ohio, is eligible to apply for a grant through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; and
WHEREAS, funding through the DERG grant would fund the Fleet Management Division's alternative fueled vehicles and advance our commitment to Compressed Natural Gas; and
WHEREAS, the proposed projects will reduce the consumption of petroleum and reduce vehicle emissions; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Finance and Management Department that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to partner with Clean Fuels Ohio so that the grant application deadline of January 16, 2013 and the Clean Fuels Ohio deadline of December 17, 2012 can be met, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director be and is hereby authorized to partner with Clean Fuels Ohio, for the purpose of applying for the DERG grant through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to fund Fleet Management's alternative fueled vehicles projects to reduce reliance on petroleum and reduce emissions from City vehicles.
SECTION 2. That this resolution authorizes a partnership and is not a commitment to expend City funds.
SECTION 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.