Our Mission: Power A Clean Future Ohio is building momentum now for a clean, prosperous future by equipping local leaders for equitable, community-driven carbon reductions in Ohio. |
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Power a Clean Future Ohio Featured in
Recent New York Times Article
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As Federal Climate-Fighting Tools Are Taken Away, Cities and States Step Up
Power A Clean Future Ohio alongside two PCFO Communities, Athens and Yellow Springs, were recently featured in a New York Times article. The article highlights how across the country, communities and local governments are accelerating their efforts to fight climate change in the absence of assistance from federal agencies and in the case of Ohio state-level decision-makers. As mentioned in the article, the task of helping local governments act on climate is falling to independent groups like PCFO. By removing partisan politics from community discussions about climate policy and grounding efforts in what is best for the residents, it’s possible to reach a consensus that’s been difficult to achieve at the state and national level.
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Supreme Court Decision Makes Local
Action Even More Critical
On Thursday, July 30, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a devastating ruling in West Virginia vs. Environmental Protection Agency, saying that the U.S. EPA will have limited authority to help regulate carbon dioxide from power plants. Experts say that local action is even more critical for the United States to have a chance at helping the world avert the detrimental effects of global warming.
Trish Demeter, Interim Executive Director for the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) said, “At the state and local levels, we urge Ohio leaders to use funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to build infrastructure that will reduce carbon pollution and invest in Ohio’s clean energy future. The health of our communities and environment depend on it.
“Luckily, local leaders are stepping up across Ohio to act on climate by pursuing community choice aggregation, developing and updating climate action plans, and joining Power A Clean Future Ohio with a commitment to reduce carbon emissions in their community. We need action like this at all levels of government.”
To read more about this, click here.
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PCFO INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT SNAPSHOTS
Federal Funding: Find it here!
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Visit the PCFO IGAP Webinar page to review notes from the BIL Guidebook Introduction, Electric Vehicles, Public Transportation, and Clean Energy and Power webinars. These notes include information on the federal departments’ goals, funding opportunities, and available links to program pages.
If you are interested in applying or need PCFO’s support please contact Sarah Spence, IGAP Coordinator, at sarah@ohcef.org with any questions.
The Bridge Investment Program provides funding opportunities across three categories: (1) Planning; (2) Bridge Projects; and (3) Large Bridge Projects. The goals of the BIP are: (1) to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and freight over bridges; (2) to improve the condition of bridges in the United States; and (3) to provide financial assistance that leverages and encourages nonFederal contributions from sponsors and stakeholders involved in the planning, design, and construction of eligible projects.
The FHWA released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes regulations setting minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and projects for the construction of publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The standards and requirements proposed would apply to the installation, operation, or maintenance of EV charging infrastructure; the interoperability of EV charging infrastructure; traffic control device or on-premises signage acquired, installed, or operated in concert with EV charging infrastructure; data, including the format and schedule for the submission of such data; network connectivity of EV charging infrastructure; and information on publicly available EV charging infrastructure locations, pricing, real-time availability, and accessibility through mapping applications.
The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from stakeholders on issues related to the demonstration of clean energy projects on mine land. DOE is specifically interested in information on how demonstration programs can be implemented to stimulate private sector follow-on investments and deliver maximum benefits in terms of highquality job creation, local and regional economic development, environmental justice and greenhouse gas emission reductions.
This funding opportunity will support Brownfields Job Training programs that recruit, train, and retain a local, skilled workforce by prioritizing unemployed and underemployed residents to obtain the skills and credentials needed for pathways into full-time employment in the environmental field. Through the Brownfields Job Training Program, graduates develop skill sets that improve their ability to secure full-time, sustainable employment in various aspects of hazardous and solid waste management and within the larger environmental field, including sustainable cleanup and reuse, and chemical safety.
The goal of this funding opportunity is to develop the tools and processes to help a broad set of stakeholders understand the implications and participate in the development of locally-based energy generation in their community. To achieve this goal, applicants will assimilate data from a variety of sources into novel tools, “dashboards,” or other applications that will assess the impacts and tradeoffs, including potential benefits and challenges of locally-based energy generation. These tools should be accessible and easy-to-use to a wide array of stakeholders that are not necessarily electric power system experts. Achievement of this goal should accelerate deployment of renewable energy towards an equitable de-carbonized grid, and it will come through pursuit of several concurrent objectives in successful system design.
DOE issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather feedback on the implementation of energy storage demonstration programs. These energy storage programs will provide the opportunity to accelerate commercialization for energy technologies by: (1) demonstrating the technologies at scale; and (2) partnering with community and industry stakeholders so they can best adopt and benefit from these technologies.
The purpose of Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grants is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through safety action plan development and implementation focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, personal conveyance and micromobility users, and commercial vehicle operators. The program provides funding to develop the tools to help strengthen a community’s approach to roadway safety and save lives and is designed to meet the needs of diverse local, Tribal, and regional communities that differ dramatically in size, location, and experience administering Federal funding.
Created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA’s new Clean School Bus Program will provide $5 billion to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models over the next 5 years. The first funding opportunity under this Program is the 2022 Clean School Bus Rebates. The CSB Rebates will fund the replacement of existing school buses with cleaner buses that result in better air quality on the bus, in bus loading areas, and throughout the communities in which they operate. Is one of your schools listed on EPA’s priority school districts list? Please share with your district leadership or school board members and make sure they know about this opportunity!
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EPA recognizes City of Athens for clean energy use |
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The City of Athens was recognized for its clean energy use during their Monday, June 20th City Council meeting. Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) Southeast Ohio Community Liaison Erin Stevens presented the city with two metal signs to be displayed at city entrances noting that the city exceeded Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for buying clean, renewable energy.
Read the full article here.
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Marble Cliff to put electric aggregation measure on fall ballot; Grandview eyes spring 2023 |
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On June 21, the Village of Marble Cliff council voted to place a measure on the November 8 ballot that would establish an electric service aggregation program. If approved, the village would be authorized to establish an aggregation program to provide electric service for residents and small businesses using renewable, clean energy.
“This would be an opt-out program,” said Mayor Matt Cincione. “You wouldn’t have to participate in the aggregation program, but you would have to register to opt-out.”
Grandview Heights is also interested in placing an electric aggregation measure on their ballot, but the city plans to wait as they are in the process of funding a new municipal complex to be built. The expectation is that the city would place an electric aggregation measure on the ballot on May 2, 2023.
To read more about this, click here.
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Recent Community Conversations |
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PCFO visited Yellow Springs Village Council and Cuyahoga Falls City Council this week. Our team presented to Yellow Springs on the opportunities they have available to them as a PCFO Community and provided some high-level recommendations on how they can further their leadership on climate and sustainability issues. The team also walked the village council through some educational materials on renewable energy credits (RECs) and provided recommendations to the Village on how to consider a potential sale or retirement of the RECs they own.
PCFO’s Deputy Director Cassandra Clevenger presented to Cuyahoga Falls on Tuesday, July 5 about the opportunity for the city to join PCFO and the resources available. Cuyahoga Falls passed a resolution to join PCFO out of the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Committee and now that resolution will move to the full city council for a vote on Monday, July 11.
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What is a Climate Action Plan?
Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m.
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In this forum, residents will have the opportunity to learn what sister cities in Northeast Ohio are doing to tackle climate change.
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Ohio E.J. Speaker Series
Thursday, July 21st from 12 P.M.-1 P.M.
Please join the Ohio Equity Team for the July Speaker Series event featuring Almeta Cooper, National Manager for Health Equity with Moms Clean Air Force, as she connects the dots between climate change and public health.
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IS SOLAR RIGHT FOR YOU?
August 3, 2022, 6:00 P.M., 507 Oak Hill Ave, Youngstown, Ohio
Community Conversation & Free legal Clinic to talk about:
- What solar energy is;
- If it's the right fit for your energy needs; and
- No-cost legal advice to get your solar questions answered.
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Interested in getting started? Join today! |
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PCFO is an expansive, diverse coalition engaging with cities and local governments across the state of Ohio to build a clean future for our communities. Power A Clean Future Ohio is empowering local leaders with tools and resources to create carbon reduction plans and implement them in ways that are achievable, measurable, equitable and economical.
Our coalition of expert organizations wants to share our technical expertise and resources with your community. If your community wants to work on plans to reduce emissions, attract business investment, implement equitable clean energy policy, and reduce costs – contact us today to set up a meeting!
If your business or organization would like to support PCFO, we invite you to join the campaign as a PCFO Partner. Contact us for more details.
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