Basil Seggos, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner, announced a $567,500 award that would go toward zero-emission vehicles in the state.
Municipalities that receive the funds will be able to buy or lease zero-emission light- and medium-duty fleet vehicles through DEC’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Rebate Program. These vehicles will help New York achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction directives of the State’s climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act).
“New York is leading the nation in reducing emissions and aggressively investing in clean transportation vehicles and infrastructure to help reach our climate goals,” said Commissioner Seggos. “The ZEV Rebate Program is making it more affordable for communities to green their fleets and make the switch to cleaner vehicles, resulting in lower fuel costs for taxpayers. DEC is pleased to support municipalities in their efforts to transition municipal fleets to these clean alternatives.”
The 2022 round of the Municipal ZEV Rebate Program made 12 awards to 10 municipalities, supporting 76 fully electric fleet vehicles, including the program’s first award for a medium-duty vehicle, an E-Transit cargo van in Erie County.
Erie County Commissioner of the Department of Environment and Planning Daniel Castle said, “Greening our fleet is an important part of achieving the goals in Erie County’s Climate Action & Sustainability plan for internal operations. We will be reinvesting this rebate into our Climate Action Fund to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
The DEC Municipal ZEV Rebate Program continues to support municipal efforts to mitigate climate change. Of the funding awarded, $545,000 went to municipalities that contain Disadvantaged Communities, as identified by the Climate Justice Working Group’s draft criteria. Since its inception in 2016, the ZEV Rebate Program has awarded a total of more than $1.5 million (including this round) toward the purchase or lease of 114 plug-in hybrid vehicles and 182 all-electric vehicles.
Recipients of 2022 rebate awards are:
- Village of Buchanan: $7,500 toward the purchase of one battery electric vehicle
- Erie County: $30,000 toward three battery electric vehicles and one E-Transit cargo van
- Village of Hastings-on-Hudson: $15,000 toward two battery electric vehicles
- Village of Lake Grove: $22,500 toward three battery electric vehicles
- New York City: $367,500 toward 49 battery electric vehicles
- Village of Ossining: $5,000 toward one battery electric vehicle
- City of Schenectady: $30,000 toward four battery electric vehicles
- Schenectady County: $15,000 toward two battery electric vehicles
- Tompkins County: $52,500 toward seven battery electric vehicles
- Ulster County: $22,500 toward three battery electric vehicles
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