1 STAFF REPORT
DAT
E: May 23, 2023
T
O: Justin Hess, City Manager
F
ROM: Dawn Roth Lindell, General Manager, Burbank Water and Power BY: Drew Johnstone, Acting Assistant General Manager, Sustainability, Marketing and Strategy
S
UBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution to Submit a Grant Application to the U.S.
Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Opportunity , t o Authorize t he Grant Application, Acceptance, and Execution f or Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Projects
RE
COMMENDATION
1. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK
AUTHORIZING THE GRANT APPLICATION, ACCEPTANCE, AND EXECUTION
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
(Attachment 1); and
2. F
inding that this activity is exempt from CEQA (14 CCR §§ 15301 and 15303).
BACKG
ROUND
Burbank Water and Power ( BWP) regularly monitors and researches available grant opportunities to supplement revenue sources, make internal projects and customer programs more cost-effective, and reduce the impact of costs on customers’ bills.
BWP identified a grant opportunity that will benefit the C ity of Burbank’s transportation electrification goals. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Opportunity was f unded with authorization from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will provide $2.5 billion over five years to a wide range of applicants, including cities, counties, local governments, and tribes. This round of funding makes up $700 million from fiscal years 2022 and 2023. F unding is available to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging and other alternative vehicle-fueling infrastructure projects in publicly accessible locations in urban and rural communities and along designated alternative fuel corridors.
DI
SCUSSION
The transportation sector accounts for the largest portion of total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This project will reduce GHG emissions and benefit the Burbank community and the Southern California region by facilitating the adoption of zero-
WATER AND
POWER
2 emission electric vehicles. BWP plays a key role in facilitating the adoption of transportation electrification through education, the development of programs , and installing publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure. This project will see the installation of a combination of DC fast chargers (DCFC) and level 2 chargers , the two most common publicly available charging speeds.
The City of Burbank is a transit nexus at the junction of the SR-134 and I-5 freeways. This makes Burbank a travel hub for passenger vehicles moving in and out of Los Angeles County. According to CALTRANS traffic volume data, I-5 sees peak average daily traffic of 226,000 vehicles, ranked 388th out of 7,115 similarly measured stretches of freeway in the state. By situating charging stations near these freeways, Burbank can better support long-distance travel in the state and day-to-day travel for residents and commuters.
As of March 2023, the city has 89 public EV charging ports, including two DC fast chargers and 40 curbside ports. As of November 1, 2022, the public charging rate is $0.18 per kWh for all hours at a level two charge. The public charging rate is $0.29 per kWh for DC fast chargers for all hours. As of March 2023, the total number of charging sessions provided this fiscal year to date is 44,535, which resulted in approximately 295,850 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided and revenues of $99,329.
For this grant, BWP has identified the potential for 36 new DC fast chargers and 36 new level two chargers for commuters, visitors, and residents of Burbank and the surrounding cities. The grant proposal also includes infrastructure to expand sites in the future by up to 8 additional ports (“make-readies”). Installing these charging stations will not only help Burbank residents but will be a crucial driver to promote EV adoption throughout the San Fernando Valley and beyond. The charging stations will be available to the public 18-24 hours a day , depending on the site, to al low for use by multifamily dwellers and commuters.
BWP estimates the following all-in costs for design and installation; $100,000 per DCFC, $25,000 per level 2 port, and $5,000 per make-ready.
BWP has identified a short list of sites to be included in the grant application . Final sites and quantities of chargers are subject to change. The disadvantaged community (DAC) and low -income (LI) community information are taken from the California Climate Investments Priority Populations 4.0 map:
No. Site Description Amount DAC LI
1. George Izay Park – 1111
W. Olive Ave.
Up to two DCFC, four Level
2 ports with four additional
make-readies
$320,000 Y Y
2. McCambridge Park - 1515
N Glenoaks Blvd
Up to two DCFC, four Level
2 ports with four additional
make-readies
$320,000 N N
3. BWP Customer Parking -
164 W Magnolia Blvd
Up to two DCFC $200,000 Y Y
4. Public Works Yard Public
Parking - 124 S Lake St
Up to two DCFC $200,000 Y Y
3 5. Orange Grove Parking
Structure – 133 E. Orange
Grove
Up to twelve DCFC, eight
Level 2 ports
$1,400,000 Y Y
6. Metrolink Parking – 201 N.
Front St.
Up to twelve DCFC $1,600,000 Y Y
7. Courthouse Parking
Structure – 327 E.
Angeleno Ave.
Up to four DCFC, twenty
Level 2 ports
$900,000 Y Y
Summary 36 DCFC
36 Level 2
8 Make-ready
$4,000,000
$900,000
+ $40,000
Subtotal $4,940,000
20% match $988,000
Total Grant Request $3,952,000
The EV charger infrastructure projects in Burbank are strongly positioned for a DOT Community Charging Grant because they:
• Support zero-emission regional and local transit along major freeways • Bring electric vehicle charging infrastructure to underserved and emission- impacted communities
• Expand an existing city-owned network with a track record of successful projects
All awards of fiscal year 2022 funding are available for obligation through September 30, 2025, and must be expended by September 30, 2030. Award recipients submit quarterly progress reports and Federal Financial Reports to monitor project progress and ensure accountability and financial transparency.
FISCAL IMPACT
According to DOT, a total of $7 00 million is available nationwide, with a minimum grant request of $ 500,000 and a maximum request of $15,000,000 . The grant requires a minimum local match of 20% of total project costs; the match can be provided as cash , in-kind, or by a third party . BWP will request $3,952,000 in grant funding for the project , which will require a match of $ 988,000 with a total project cost of $4, 940,000. The local match will be provided by revenues collected by BWP in the form of low -carbon fuel standard credit sales.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Applying for or taking receipt of these funds is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs . § 15378(b)(4) (excluding governmental fiscal activities that do not involve any commitment to a specific project) .
However, because the City desires to install electric vehicle chargers after receiving such funds, staff recommends that the City Council find such installation activity exempt under 14 Cal. Code Regs . §§ 15301 (exempting activity involving minor alteratio n of existing public or private structures [and] facilities), and 15303 (exempting construction of small facilities or installation of equipment), and direct the General Manager to file a notice of exemption before commencement of the installation.
4 CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the C ity Council approve the resolution to submit a grant application to the U .S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Opportunity, and authorize the BWP General Manager, as the City Manager’s designee, to execute grant agreements.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – California Climate Investments Priority Populations 4.0 Map of Burbank Attachment 3 – Notice of Funding Opportunity