Explanation
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to accept the award for the Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 66.046, in the amount of $1,000,000.00 from The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The grant project period is from June 1 2023 through May 31, 2027. The City grant number is G602301.
The Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant provides funding under the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to the City of Columbus to develop regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and co-pollutants and reduction measures throughout the entire metropolitan area and to conduct meaningful engagement with low- income and disadvantaged communities and coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate. Three key deliverables will be produced and submitted over the course of the four-year program period: a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP), due March 1, 2024; a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), due two years from the date of the award; and a status report, due at the close of the grant period. The City’s inaugural Climate Action Plan published in 2021 will serve as the baseline for the PCAP and CCAP.
CORE PROJECT TEAM AND SUB-RECIPIENTS
1. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) | D365 Vendor #004591 | Federal EIN on file | Expires 3/25/2024
o MORPC is a nonprofit institution and does not hold MBE/WBE status.
2. IMPACT Community Action | D365 Vendor #001447 | Federal EIN on file | Expires 11/17/2023
o IMPACT Community Action is a nonprofit corporation and does not hold MBE/WBE status.
3. Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) | D365 Vendor # pending | Power a Clean Future Ohio is not registered through the vendor portal
o PCFO is a nonprofit corporation
4. The Ohio State University | D365 Vendor #006163 | Federal EIN on file | Expires 3/29/2025 |
o Governmental/Education institution
None of the sub-recipients are debarred according to the Excluded Party Listing System of the Federal Government or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State Unresolved Findings for Recovery Certified Search
The sub-recipients are coordinating entities who are responsible for overseeing different tasks for each deliverable. The City of Columbus is the grant pass-through entity that will work with the sub-recipients and disburse payment based on the agreed upon tasks. MORPC will be responsible for creating a greenhouse gas inventory and will support regional planning engagement. Power a Clean Future Ohio will produce emission projections, targets, and reduction measures modeling and analysis. The Ohio State University is leading the regional benefits analysis and the low income disadvantaged communities analysis.
FISCAL IMPACT
The $1,000,000.00 grant will support initiatives to benefit residents of Columbus and the surrounding areas. Expected outcomes over the course of the grant include pollution reductions measured in tons of pollution reduced over the lifetime of the measures; tons of pollution reduced annually; and tons of pollution reduced with respect to low-income and disadvantaged communities.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
The grant allows work prior to the award dating back to 6/19/2023 to be included in funding disbursements. This ordinance is being submitted as an emergency in order to (1) expedite payment to sub-recipients; (2) comply with US EPA general terms and conditions for reimbursements; (3) and due to the first deliverable submission deadline in March 2024.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to accept the Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant in the amount of $1,000,000.00 for the Department of Public Utilities, Columbus Sustainable section; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $1,000,000.00 from the Electricity Grants Fund to support development of a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP), a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), and a final status report; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) was awarded a Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) in the amount of $1,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, the grant provides funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to develop regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and co-pollutants and reduction measures throughout the entire metropolitan area and to conduct meaningful engagement with low- income and disadvantaged communities and coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to accept $1,000,000.00 from the US EPA for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (G602301), per the accounting codes attached to this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the US EPA has approved DPU’s proposed budget and sub-recipients associated with the grant; and
WHEREAS, the appropriation and expenditure of $1,000,000.00 are hereby authorized in Fund 6316, Electricity Grants Fund, in object classes 01, Personnel, 02, Materials & Supplies, and 03, Professional Services, per the accounting codes attached to the ordinance; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to accept $1,000,000.00 from the US EPA for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, without delay, in order to (1) expedite payment to sub-recipients to pay (in part) for work completed prior to the award dating back to 6/19/2023 ; (2) comply with US EPA general terms and conditions for reimbursements; (3) and due to the first deliverable submission deadline in March 2024for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property and safety; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities is hereby authorized to accept $1,000,000.00 from the US EPA for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (G602301) to support the development of regional climate mitigation plans to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and co-pollutants and reduction measures, to conduct meaningful engagement with low-income and disadvantaged communities, and to coordinate with geographically proximate tribes as appropriate.
SECTION 2. That the appropriation and expenditure of $1,000,000.00 is hereby authorized in Fund 6316, Electricity Grants Fund, in object classes 01, Personnel, 02, Materials & Supplies, and 03, Professional Services, per the accounting codes attached to the ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the payment for work completed prior to the grant award dating back to 6/19/2023 is hereby declared to be a valid and proper public purpose.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance 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.