Accept grant from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure at Stanton Yard for $432,837
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds
- Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (Oregon DEQ) provides grant funding for its Oregon Zero Emission Fueling Infrastructure grant program for supporting medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure. The project was established by the State Legislature in HB 5202 and HB 4139 (2022)
- Portland City Council declared a climate emergency in 2020 and directed City bureaus to restore a safe climate for all Portlanders. The Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT’s) Stanton Yard parks over 500 vehicles that serve a variety of vital functions for City residents including street cleaning, street maintenance, street signage, inspections, snow and ice removal, parking enforcement, and more. In total, this project will provide charging to 50 parking spaces but will serve hundreds of individual vehicles as these assets will be swapped routinely at stations, depending on daily charging need
- Oregon DEQ opened the program for applications on November 15, 2022. It required applicants for capital improvement grants to provide a proposal that had clear project plans for desired funding and matching funds no less than 20% of total project costs.
- The Office of Management and Finance (OMF) submitted a proposal on January 17, 2023, requesting funding for City Fleet zero emission vehicle charging infrastructure at Stanton Yard. This would support the operations at Stanton Yard, for a variety of Level 2 and Fast charging stations, serving medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
- On March 27, 2023, Oregon DEQ notified its willingness to provide funding of $432,837 for Zero-Emission Fuel Infrastructure at Stanton Yard. OMF has identified approximately $468,999 in available funds from its budget as the match. Grant funds are being stacked with other previously awarded funds from Oregon DEQ.
- Expected outputs will be a reduction in diesel particulate matter, and increased awareness of and support for future zero emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles with a greater adoption of cleaner vehicles, ultimately leading to widespread health and welfare improvements from reduced emissions
NOW THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- The Mayor, or designee, is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the City of Portland a grant from the Oregon DEQ for the Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure at Stanton Yard in the amount of $432,837 and to execute the grant agreement in a form similar to the agreement attached as Exhibit A. In addition, the Mayor or designee, is authorized to execute grant amendments with terms and conditions that are mutually acceptable. All grant agreement and amendments are subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
- The Office of Management & Finance Grants Management Division is authorized to perform all administrative matters in relation to the grant application, grant agreement or amendments, requests for reimbursement from the grantor, and to submit required online grant documents on the Mayor’s behalf.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved
in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
- Portland City Council declared a climate emergency in 2020 and directed City bureaus to restore a safe climate for all Portlanders.
- The building and transportation sectors are the two largest contributors to local carbon emissions.
- The City’s 2022-2025 Climate Emergency Workplan prioritizes actions that lead to eliminating carbon from City operations; transitioning City fleet to net-zero carbon fuels is critical to achieving this target.
- One of the largest barriers to fleet electrification is convenient access to efficient charging stations.
- The Oregon Zero Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grants through Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (OR DEQ) were established by the State Legislature in HB 5202 and HB 4139 (2022) to support medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure projects.
- The $432,837 for zero emission fueling infrastructure at Stanton Yard location will support the installation of 50 electric vehicle charging stations, including 10 Direct Current Fast Charge (DCFC) ports. This charging infrastructure is key to supporting the transition to electric vehicles among the 500+ City vehicles parked at Stanton Yard.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
The Oregon Zero Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grants fund up to 80% of eligible project expenses for applicable capital improvement projects and up to 50% for applicable technical assistance projects. Applicants may stack grant funding to meet the required funding match (20% or 50% respectively). For this Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure at Stanton Yard project, the City’s 20% required match will come from a mix of funds from the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation grants already awarded to the City in 2021 and 2022 and funds from a line of credit OMF has requested authorization for in FY 2023-24 for EV infrastructure development.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
The areas surrounding the Stanton Yard are economically and environmentally challenged. Replacing dirty diesel burning trucks with electric will have immediate positive impacts by improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions locally for residents, hospital patients who reside across the street, and City workers alike. Stanton Yard alone accounts for about half of diesel fuel use in the City’s fleet. This project would reduce local carbon emissions by about 7,000 metric tons over a 10-year period in an economically and environmentally challenged area of Portland.
100% Renewable Goal
Installing electric vehicle charging stations will result in an increase in electricity consumption (in lieu of diesel and gasoline fuel consumption). This electricity consumption will be tracked and included in subsequent purchases of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset non-renewable-sourced electricity purchased from local utilities.
Financial and Budget Analysis
Analysis provided by City Budget Office
This action accepts grant resources of $432,837 from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for zero-emission fueling infrastructure at Stanton yard. To meet associated match requirements, the City will “stack” existing grant resources from the Volkswagen Diesel Emissions Environmental Mitigation grants awarded in 2021 and 2022 as well as credit authorized for OMF for EV infrastructure in FY 2023-24. No additional resources are required.