The Clean Cities Coalition Network is celebrating 30 years of boosting the country’s energy security, economic vitality, and quality of life by advancing affordable, efficient, and clean transportation fuels and technologies. Over 30 years, the network has built bipartisan support, deep connections within the transportation industry, and active partnerships with 20,000 public and private stakeholders. Thriving on a culture of collaborative change, coalitions harness decades of deployment expertise to continue moving our transportation systems into the future.
Elizabeth Munger, our director, represented our stakeholders
at the celebration in Washington, D.C. last month.
Alex has worked in public transportation for 14 years, starting as a Diesel Mechanic, then as a Shop Foreman for 8 years, and most recently serving as the Director of Transportation for the past year. We have enjoyed working with Alex many times in our School Bus Roundtable series and have seen the cohesive team they’ve built at Eanes ISD.
Alex leads a team of 48 mechanics, bus drivers and admin staff. Eanes has an enrollment of 7,384 and covers 33.2 square miles.
Eanes ISD is one of our stakeholders with a substantial investment in alternative fuels. They have been running propane school buses since 2012, and of their current fleet of 55 buses, 43 are propane. They have propane fueling onsite.
Beginning in early 2024, up to 20,000 Tesla Universal Wall Connectors are slated to be installed at 2,000 Hilton hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, making Hilton’s planned EV charging network the largest of any hospitality company. There will be at least six chargers at each of the selected hotels. “Through this expanded agreement with Tesla, we are significantly changing the landscape of universal EV chargers in North America in an incredibly short amount of time,” says Matt Schuyler, chief brand officer, Hilton.
Funding | Status | |
Emissions Reduction Incentive Grants Program (ERIG) | | CLOSED |
Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Grants Program (TNGVGP) | $25.4M | September 2024 |
Seaport & Rail Yard Areas Emissions Reduction Program (SPRY) | $20.3M | April 2024 |
Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP) | $16.9M | January 2025 |
Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLIP) | $10M | OPENING SOON |
Rebate Grant Program (Round 2) | TBD | March 2025 |
Texas Clean School Bus Program (TCSB) | $13.5M | February 2024 |
Alternative Fueling Facilities Program (AFFP) | $12M | January 2024 |
$10M | November 2023 | |
Governmental Alternative Fuel Fleet Grant Program (GAFF) | $5M | December 2024 |
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced the 2022-2023 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grant Program. Funding is now available for projects that will reduce emissions coming from existing diesel vehicles. The program plans to give out approximately $115 million in funds to applicants.
DERA applications are due by Friday, December 1, 2023. To learn more about eligibility and this opportunity, please go here.
This is the second rebate funding opportunity through the multi-year funding program. Under the 2023 Rebate Program, EPA anticipates awarding at least $500 million in rebate funding with the potential to modify this figure based on the application pool and other factors.
Eligible applicants can apply to receive funding for the purchase of up to 25 zero-emission (ZE) and/or clean school buses, along with ZE charging infrastructure and eligible workforce development costs. Selectees may be eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits applicable to their bus and infrastructure purchases. For example, the Clean Vehicle tax credits for qualifying school buses are worth up to $40,000.
EPA is prioritizing applications that will replace buses serving high-need local education agencies, rural areas, Tribal school districts funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and public school districts receiving basic support payments for students living on Tribal land. In addition, EPA is committed to ensuring the CSB Program delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative that at least 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.
Applicants must submit all application materials by:
January 31st, 2024, at 4:00PM ET
EPA plans to host a series of public webinars regarding this rebate funding opportunity from now through January to provide potential applicants with an overview of the program, relevant information and available resources.
The first webinar was held on September 28th, and the webinar recording and slides are posted to the Clean School Bus Webinars webpage.
The TCEQ has opened their first-come, first-served $87 million all-electric grant program, via the Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program. Funding for the program will be allocated based on priority areas, and project categories. The program is designed for Class 8 Local Freight Trucks and Port Drayage Trucks, Class 4-8 School Bus, Shuttle Bus, or Transit Buses, Class 4-7 Local Freight Trucks, Airport Ground Support Equipment, and Forklifts and Port Cargo Handling Equipment.
Major notes about the program:
Additional details about the program, including grant totals by project area and details about application requirements and submissions, are posted here in this webinar
If you have any questions, or reach out directly to TCEQ staff Krista Edwards & Jack Frink, Grant Specialists, at VWSettle@tceq.Texas.gov and by calling (833) 215-TXVEMP (8989).
Still plenty of money available in this one!
How to Apply for the Natural Gas and Propane
Motor Vehicle Federal Tax Credit Webinar Workshop
December 5, 2023 12:00 noon – 12:45 pm Central Time
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has extended the $0.50/Gallon Natural Gas/Propane Federal Tax Credit through December 31, 2024.
Heather Ball of the Texas Natural Gas Foundation will walk us through how to claim the credit. If you own natural gas or propane vehicles or forklifts and fuel at your refueling site, you are eligible to claim the credit. This includes public fleets, non-profits and private companies. You do not need to pay taxes to claim the credit.
The AYRO Vanish is a utility low-speed electric vehicle (LSEV) addressing a market that falls between full size trucks and golf and utility carts. The vehicle offers highly adaptable bed configurations to support both light-duty and heavy-duty needs in a variety of applications.
Join LSCFA member, AYRO, for an exclusive opportunity to get behind the wheel of the 2023 AYRO Vanish. During this one-of-a-kind event, you’ll have the opportunity to test drive their newest vehicle, and their team of experts will be on hand to guide you through all the features and capabilities of the vehicle as well as answer any questions.
October 19, 2023 4:00 – 7:00 PM at
AYRO HQ in Round Rock
To attend register here.
LSCFA Membership has many perks, click below to learn more and join!