Living near highways, traffic, and other sources of harmful air emissions disproportionately affects historically overburdened communities and results in worse health outcomes such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and much more. Getting more electric vehicles on the road in and around these communities presents the opportunity to improve health outcomes by reducing emissions. 

While the Historic West End has a gas station just around nearly every corner, there are only two charging stations in the community. By working with The City of Charlotte, UNCC EPIC, Centralina Regional Council, and others, the Historic West End is beginning to equip itself with more EV infrastructure to enjoy the economic, health, and sustainable benefits EVs bring. The recent PoleVolt Project has encouraged drivers, local businesses and governments to embrace EVs and the benefits they bring. 

By working with stakeholders, the N.C. Department of Transportation has developed plans and strategies to reduce transportation emissions. These include the Zero Emission Vehicle Plan, Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty ZEV Memorandum of Understanding, and the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Reduction Study.

As a part of the development process, five work groups were created to gather stakeholder input. These work groups can be found here and include

• ZEV Plan for Light-Duty Vehicles
• ZEV Plan for Medium & Heavy-Duty Vehicles
• Fleet Transition Plan for Public & Private Vehicle Fleets
• VMT Reduction Plan
• Clean Transportation Infrastructure 

The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) at North Carolina State University announces the following request for proposals (RFP) through the 2022 Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) project. The 2020 initiative will offer $1.4 million, focused on reducing transportation-related emissions, and supported with federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding from the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT). The primary purpose of the CFAT project is to reduce transportation-related emissions in 24 eligible North Carolina counties. 

Project proposals will be limited, none higher than $300,000 and none lower than $5,000. Applications will be due Monday, August 1, 2022. This will likely be the only solicitation for 2022.

Projects located in the following counties are eligible for CFAT funding: Cabarrus, Catawba, *Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, *Haywood, *Iredell, Johnston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Nash, Orange, Person, Rowan, *Swain, Union, Wake, (*Represents partial counties).

Projects for electric vehicle charging stations (EVSE) will be accepted within all 100 counties.

• Available funds: $1,400,000
• Maximum per project award: $300,000
• Minimum per project award: $5,000
• Application deadline: July 1, 2022
• Project period: December 5, 2022 – September 30, 2024
• Click here for the 2022 CFAT Request for Proposals
• Click here for the CFAT RFP FAQs
• Click here for the 2022 CFAT Budget Worksheet
• Click here for the 2022 CFAT RFP Application

NOTE: Applications should be emailed to CFAT_grants@ncsu.edu. 

View examples of prior successful CFAT project proposals in 2018 and 2019

Eligible applicants to be submitted to the Level 2 Multi-Unit Dwelling Program include property owners of multi-unit dwellings with 10 or more units in North Carolina, such as apartment complexes, condominiums, etc. This excludes individually-owned townhouses, row houses and mobile homes.

The program includes funds totaling $489,544 to be used in installing Level 2 electric vehicle charging infrastructure at eligible multi-unit family dwellings. The RFP was released May 2, 2022 and applications will be made available June 13, 2o22.

On May 9, 2022 the DAQ will host a webinar on how to request access to the DAQ Management System from 1:00pm- 2:00pm for applicants who do not have access to the system. The webinar will discuss what documents are required to request access to the system, how to use the built in tutorials once access is granted to the system and how to submit an application. Register here

A second webinar hosted by the DAQ will occur on May 16, 2022 from 1:00pm-3:00pm. The focus discussion for this webinar will be RFP and its requirements. Staff will answer questions regarding the Request for Proposals and the program application. Register here

A Clean School Bus, as defined by the BIL, is a bus that reduces emissions and is operated entirely or in part using an alternative fuel or is a zero-emission bus. The BIL provides $5 billion dollars over 5 years (FY22-26) for the replacement of existing school buses with low and zero-emission buses. State or local government entities, eligible contractors, nonprofit school transportation associations, and tribes, tribal organizations, tribally-controlled schools are all eligible for the program funding. A zero-emission bus is defined as a school bus that
produces zero exhaust emission of any air pollutant and any greenhouse gas. 

Awards will be granted covering up to 100% of the cost of the replacement bus and charging or fueling infrastructure. Priority applications may be recognized to replace buses that serve; high-need local education agencies, tribal schools, rural schools, low-income area schools, or applications that provide cost share through public-private partnerships, grants from other entities, or school bonds.

Usage requirements (All replacement buses must):

• Be operated as part of the school feet for which the award was made for not less than 5 years;
• Be maintained, operated, and charged or fueled according to manufacturer recommendations or state requirements and;
• Not be manufactured or retrofitted with a power unit or any other technology that creates
  pollution within the school bus, such as an unvented diesel heater.

Slides are now available from the EPA’s Clean School Bus program webinar here.

Sign up for Clean School Bus Program news here.

More information and updates available here: https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus.

Happy Earth Day 2022! Here at the Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition, we value the importance of Earth Day and what it means to participate in protecting and appreciating our Earth. Recently, the CCFC published resources for fleets to look towards when trying to conserve fuel as a way to save money and cut back on petroleum dependence. We encourage fleets to check out these resources this Earth Day to see how your fleet can make an impact. 

Check out that page here. Which includes fuel conservation tips like;

• Encouraging drivers to do their best to cut idle time
• Planning routes and selecting refuel stops in advance
• Keeping each vehicle up to date with tuneups and overall maintance 

The NC VW School Bus Program, Duke Power Electric School Bus Pilot Project and Bipartisan Infastructure Funds will all provide funding for electric school buses. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is seeking to increase interest and awareness of the availability of electric school bus replacement funding through the NC Volkswagen Settlement Program. 

NC VW School Bus Program Information

             –Historically Under-Resourced County Outreach Program

Duke Power Electric School Bus Pilot Project Information

Bipartisan Infastructure Funds Information