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SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	09/23/2019
Subject: RECEIVE UPDATE on options for bringing more electric vehicles into the County fleet and PROVIDE DIRECTION as appropriate
Department:	Conservation & Development
Referral No.:
Referral Name:
Presenter:	Joe Yee, Public Works	Contact:	Joe Yee, Public Works

Information

Referral History:

On January 28, 2019, the Sustainability Committee received a report from the Department of Public Works on options for bringing more electric vehicles into the County fleet. The Committee directed staff to report back to the Committee on updates to the County's policies and Administrative Bulletins to reflect:

Purchase of electric vehicles as vehicles in the County fleet are replaced, starting with sedans and including other types of vehicles as they become commercially available;
Investing savings from EVs into EV infrastructure;
How costs for purchasing and installing chargers, including wiring and trenching, will be allocated between departments and General Capital fund; and
Policies for charging County vehicles, employee vehicles, and vehicles belonging to the public.

The Committee also directed staff to:

Work with landlords to install EV charging infrastructure at facilities the County leases; and
Develop a master plan for EV chargers.

At the August 1, 2019, meeting of the Sustainability Committee, Public Works provided recommended revisions to Administrative Bulletins 507.9 (Property and Equipment, County Vehicle Operation) and 508.5 (Property and Equipment, County Vehicle and Equipment Acquisition and Replacement Policy, and Clean Air Vehicle Policy and Goals). The Committee directed staff to develop a detailed plan, including costs, for EV charger deployment. The plan should address the unincorporated areas of the County, as well. The Committee directed staff to update the Administrative Bulletins to reflect the discussion about commercially or publicly available charging stations and different types of chargers for different charging needs, and incorporating EVs at a more rapid pace. The Committee directed staff to provide the results of the employee commute survey.

Referral Update:

Public Works identified 18 County building locations which will help expand EV usage in the County fleet by installing charging stations. Many of the locations have numerous internal combustion engine fleet vehicles that can be replaced with EVs. Top priority locations are those with existing solar photovoltaic panels, followed by locations that have solar panel installation planned. Advanced placement of conduits specifically for EV chargers installed as part of the solar projects will help reduce the overall cost of the EV chargers. 92 charging stations are planned in this proposal. It is estimated to cost $1.38 million for the EV charging equipment and installation; costs for additional infrastructure to provide trenching, electrical conduits, and electrical panel upgrades at each location are undetermined at this time and will not be known until a project is initiated. Public Works is seeking $250K as an initial amount to cover these additional infrastructure improvements. Public Works is working with the County Administrator's Office to identify potential funding to advance this effort.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

RECEIVE UPDATE on options for bringing more electric vehicles into the County fleet and PROVIDE DIRECTION as appropriate

Fiscal Impact (if any):

Initial fiscal impact of $250,000 for infrastructure costs; future costs could be $1.38 million.

Attachments
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