Agenda Item #12.4
For Council Meeting of: March 14, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RACHEL EDE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR – TRANSIT
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS – TRANSIT DIVISION
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING AND EXECUTION OF AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION BUSES AND BUS FACILITIES AND LOW OR NO EMISSION PROGRAMS FOR FEDERAL FY 2023 AND COMMITTING ANY NECESSARY MATCHING FUNDS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that the Council, by resolution: 1) authorize the Director of Transportation and Public Works or designee to file and execute two grant application(s) and related documents for the Federal Transit Administration’s Buses and Bus Facilities Program and the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Program requesting a combined total of $9,899,120 in grant funds for battery electric buses and electric bus charging infrastructure; and 2) appropriate necessary matching funds.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program (B&BF) provides funding for capital projects related to transit fleets, facilities, and technology. The FTA’s Low or No Emission Grant Program (Low-No) provides funding for the purchase of low or no emission vehicles for transit revenue operations, including related equipment or facilities. The City is requesting authorization to file two applications, both with the FTA, for grant funding under the two programs for a combined total of $9,889,120.
The Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) Transit Division (Santa Rosa CityBus) is preparing grant applications for each of the two programs to request funding supporting purchase of six battery-electric buses and related electric bus charging infrastructure. FTA requires a resolution of support from the governing board to be included in the grant application identifying the local cost share for a successful award.
BACKGROUND
Federal public transportation laws authorize FTA to award competitive grants under Section 5339(b) of Title 49, United States Code, for the Buses and B&BF Program, and Section 5339(c) of Title 49, United States Code, for the Low-No Program.
CityBus has received the following grant awards from the B&BF Program in recent years to assist in the transition to battery electric buses (BEBs):
FY17 = $1,206,518
FY18 = $1,780,133
FY21 = $4,288,300
Beginning in FY 2022, FTA issues a call for applications for both the Low-No and B&BF programs jointly with a single application that must be submitted to both programs individually.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On October 26, 2021, the City Council approved RES-2021-179 for submission of an application for the FY 2021 FTA B&BF Program.
ANALYSIS
CityBus wishes to submit an application for the acquisition of six battery electric buses (BEBs) to replace model year 2013 diesel vehicles and implementation of related electric bus charging infrastructure.
The grants may cover up to 80-90% of the costs of the proposed project, depending on the project activities funded.
If a grant is awarded, the required match is anticipated to come from CityBus’ Transportation Development Act Article IV (TDA) funds. Additionally, CityBus will pursue other grants that may offset the use of TDA funds.
The anticipated total cost of the project is $14,281,000 with an ask of $9,899,120 in federal funds to supplement an estimated $2,293,880 in separately-awarded federal and state funds. This results in a local match of $2,088,000.
The project supports implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan and the Council’s goal for climate action by supporting accelerated electrification of the CityBus transit fleet.
The FTA requires a resolution of the City Council authorizing the submittal of the grant application and committing the matching funds for the grant.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action has no impact on the General Fund. The required local match would be drawn from CityBus’ annual allocation of TDA funds. However, CityBus will seek funding from other grant opportunities that could be used as local share in place of TDA funds if successful.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) and 15378 in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this action may have significant effects on the environment, and no further environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
PRESENTER
Shawn Sosa, Administrative Analyst, [email protected]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING AND EXECUTION OF AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION BUSES AND BUS FACILITIES AND LOW OR NO EMISSION PROGRAMS FOR FEDERAL FY 2023 AND COMMITTING ANY NECESSARY MATCHING FUNDS PAGE 3 OF 3