Title
Authorizing Mayor Carter’s Office to submit a second McKnight Foundation Climate and Energy Program Grant proposal.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul has been developing a Climate Action and Resilience Plan that includes the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions in Saint Paul by 2050; and
WHEREAS, the McKnight Foundation’s Midwest Climate and Energy Program aims to foster and support climate and energy leadership in the Midwest, making the region a model for the world by reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul applied for $6.7 million of federal CMAQ funds through the Metropolitan Council’s Regional Solicitation for the electric charging hubs project to build out 35 hubs in Saint Paul to serve electric carshare vehicles and privately owned electric vehicles, and was awarded $4 million of CMAQ toward the project; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is partnering with local nonprofit carshare provider HOURCAR in this project, as well as the City of Minneapolis and Xcel Energy, and Xcel has committed $4 million to provide the needed electric infrastructure to serve the new charging hubs; and
WHEREAS, to date, HOURCAR has only been able to serve neighborhoods along the Green Line in Saint Paul, and the City of Saint Paul has a desire to spread carsharing services to a larger segment of the City, including more ACP50 neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, carsharing has been shown to reduce overall vehicle miles traveled and to induce car-shedding by providing a reliable way for households to have access to a vehicle when they need one, and has been shown to be complementary to and supportive of the use of public transit; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul has identified a need to partner with community-based organizations in conducting community engagement around the placement of the charging hubs, as this has been identified as a best-practice for ensuring the successful launch of new charging infrastructure and new carshare services, particularly in lower-income communities and communities of color that have been underserved by carshare to date; and
WHEREAS, the McKnight Foundation has invited the City of Saint Paul to apply for $50,000 for this purpose, in order to advance the goals of the City’s Draft Climate Action and Resilience Plan and to create more equitable mobility services;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council authorizes Mayor Carter’s office to submit, on behalf of the City of Saint Paul, an application to the McKnight Foundation for $50,000 for the purposes outlined herein; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the grant funds are awarded, the City Council authorizes Mayor Carter’s office to enter into a grant agreement with the McKnight Foundation.