Provide specific recommendations for a three-year (2021-2023) light-duty passenger vehicle EV infrastructure plan for Florida’s Interstate and major arterial roads.
Provide annual forecasts for additional needed infrastructure for 2024-2030.
Provide recommendations for emergency evacuation routes and considerations specific to EVs.
Provide an online manual that will catalogue the considerations, tools, examples, information sources and other relevant information for planning.
Collaboration is key to this project’s success. We have hosted a series of public
webinars, each focused on gaining input from specific industry leaders, including power service providers, infrastructure service providers, advocacy groups, state agencies, and planning organizations. A survey will soon be available to gather individual input from EV owners and enthusiasts who may not have been represented in the webinar discussions.
The final report, which will contain several recommendations and best practices for installing charging infrastructure in Florida, will be completed by December 31, 2020. If you have any questions or comments about this project, please feel free to reach out to
Doug Kettles,
Kaitlin Reed, or
April Groover Combs.
A full description of each agency’s responsibilities can be found within the
bill, but some major elements include the determination of ideal charging station locations and their characteristics, barriers to EV adoption, implementation strategies, necessary regulatory measures, and projected EV use over the next 20 years. The master plan is to be submitted by July 1, 2021.
Air Pollution Increases COVID-19 Death Rates
Around 4.2 million people die each year due to outdoor air pollution. When someone breathes in polluted air, they also inhale particulate matter, which forms primarily through complex reactions that occur when vehicles or power plants emit harmful chemicals. These small particles penetrate deep into the body and can eventually lead to serious health issues such as hypertension, heart disease, breathing trouble, and diabetes. Unfortunately, these are the same underlying conditions that increase complications in coronavirus patients.
With that in mind,
Harvard researchers decided to perform the first nationwide
study investigating the relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 death rates. They concluded that “people with COVID-19 who live in U.S. regions with high levels of air pollution are more likely to die from the disease than people who live in less polluted areas," and found that an increase in particulate matter of just 1 unit (μg/m3) corresponds to an 8% increase in COVID-19 death rates. While the study is still undergoing peer review, the results are consistent with previous findings that air pollution exposure increases severe outcomes during infectious disease outbreaks.
The study emphasizes the importance of enforcing air pollution regulations and reducing emissions to protect public health, both during, and after the pandemic. As the coronavirus demonstrates, we cannot always anticipate what major health crises may emerge, but moving towards green energy and clean transportation today can improve our air quality, preventing more unnecessary deaths in the future.
The
U.S Department of Agriculture plans to offer up to $100 million in competitive grants for activities designed to expand the availability and sale of renewable fuels through
The Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). Funds will be made directly available to assist transportation fueling and biodiesel distribution facilities with converting to higher ethanol and biodiesel blends by either sharing the costs related to or offering sales incentives for the necessary infrastructure.
Applications are being accepted now through August 13, 2020 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Our Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors (BOD). The BOD consists of volunteers that are actively involved with alternative fuels and technology; they use their experience and insight to provide guidance to our coalition. We gratefully acknowledge their dedication to the use of alternative fuels and the time they devote to the coalition. Our BOD members are:
Chair - David Dunn City of Orlando, Fleet and Facilities Division Manager
Vice-Chair - Horacio Cervantes People Gas, Business Development Manager
Treasurer – Harland Chadbourne WastePro, Purchasing Director
Secretary – Doug Kettles Central Florida Clean Cities Coalition, Coordinator
Director – Lyn Cacella Florida Public Utilities, Electric Vehicle Program Manager
Director – Brian Carroll Canaveral Port Authority, Purchasing Director
Director – Cornelius Willingham Nissan S.E. Electric Vehicle Strategy & Business Development Manager
Director – Helda Rodriguez NovaCharge, President
Director – Eva Reyes Orlando Utility Commission, Project Engineer
Director – Jill Dvareckas Florida Power and Light, Director of Development
This e-newsletter is published by the Central Florida Clean Cities Coalition, under contract with
the U.S. Department of Energy. For additional information please contact Doug Kettles at doug@cflccc.org
Central Florida Clean Cities Coalition
cflccc.org
(321) 300-4555
