Sec. 403. Accelerating the deployment of zero-emission vehicles in communities
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In this section: The term charging infrastructure means any property (not including a building) used for the recharging of a zero-emission vehicle, including electrical panel upgrades, wiring, conduits, trenching, pedestals, and related equipment. The term deployment community means a community selected by the Secretary to be part of the Program. The term Federal-aid system of highways means the National Highway System described in section 103 of title 23, United States Code.
The term Program means the zero-emission vehicle deployment community program established under subsection (b)(1). The Secretary shall establish a zero-emission vehicle deployment communities program. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall coordinate and supplement, not supplant, any ongoing zero-emission vehicle deployment activities under section 131 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ( 42 U.S.C. 17011 ). The Secretary shall establish a competitive process to select deployment communities for the Program.
In selecting participants for the Program, the Secretary shall only consider applications submitted by State, tribal, or local government entities (or groups of State, tribal, or local government entities). Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and not later than 1 year after the date on which any subsequent amounts are appropriated for the Program, the Secretary shall select the deployment communities under this paragraph. The goals of the Program are— to facilitate the rapid deployment of zero-emission vehicles in various regions and regulatory environments, including— the deployment of 1,000,000 zero-emission vehicles in the deployment communities selected under subsection (d)(2); the near-term achievement of significant market penetration in deployment communities; and supporting the achievement of significant market penetration nationally; to establish regionally appropriate, interoperable models for the rapid deployment of zero-emission vehicles nationally, including regionally appropriate approaches for the cost-effective deployment of a sufficient quantity of single-family and multifamily residential, workplace, and publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure; to increase consumer knowledge and acceptance of, and exposure to, zero-emission vehicles; to encourage the innovation and investment necessary to achieve mass market deployment of zero-emission vehicles; to demonstrate the integration of zero-emission vehicles into electricity distribution systems and the larger electric grid while maintaining or improving grid system performance, security, and reliability; to demonstrate protocols and communication standards that facilitate vehicle integration into the grid and provide seamless charging for consumers traveling through multiple utility distribution systems; to investigate differences among deployment communities and to develop best practices for implementing vehicle electrification in various communities, including best practices for planning for and facilitating the construction of residential, workplace, and publicly available infrastructure to support zero-emission vehicles; to collect comprehensive data on the purchase and use of zero-emission vehicles, including charging or refueling profile data at unit and aggregate levels, to inform best practices for rapidly deploying zero-emission vehicles in other locations, including for the installation of charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure; to reduce and displace petroleum use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating the deployment of zero-emission vehicles in the United States; and to increase domestic manufacturing capacity and commercialization in a manner that will establish the United States as a world leader in zero-emission vehicle technologies.
The Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that selected deployment communities serve as models of deployment for various communities across the United States. In selecting communities under this section, the Secretary— shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that— the combination of selected communities is diverse in population, population density, demographics, urban and suburban composition, typical commuting patterns, climate, and type of utility (including investor-owned, publicly owned, cooperatively owned, distribution-only, and vertically integrated utilities); the combination of selected communities is diverse in geographical distribution, and at least 1 deployment community is located in each Petroleum Administration for Defense District; at least 1 deployment community selected has a population of less than 500,000; grants are of a sufficient amount such that each deployment community will achieve significant market penetration, particularly into the mainstream consumer market; and the deployment communities are representative of other communities across the United States; is encouraged to select a combination of deployment communities that includes multiple models or approaches for deploying zero-emission vehicles that the Secretary believes are reasonably likely to be effective, including multiple approaches to the deployment of charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure; shall prioritize deployment communities that demonstrate affordable modes of access to zero-emission vehicles for low-income communities and disadvantaged communities; in addition to the criteria described in subparagraph (A), may give preference to applicants proposing a greater non-Federal cost share; and when considering deployment community plans, shall take into account previous Department of Energy and other Federal investments to ensure that the maximum domestic benefit from Federal investments is realized.
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and not later than 90 days after the date on which any subsequent amounts are appropriated for the Program, the Secretary shall publish criteria for the selection of deployment communities that include requirements that applications be submitted by a State, tribal, or local government entity (or groups of State, tribal, or local government entities). The criteria published by the Secretary under subparagraph
(A)shall include application requirements that, at a minimum, include— achievable goals and methodologies for— the number of zero-emission vehicles to be deployed in the community; the expected percentage of light-duty vehicle sales that would be sales of zero-emission vehicles; the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (including medium- or heavy-duty vehicles) in private and public fleets during the 3-year duration of the Program; and a method to generate revenue to maintain the infrastructure investments made by the Program after the termination of the Program; data that demonstrate that— the public is likely to embrace zero-emission vehicles, which may include— the quantity of zero-emission vehicles purchased; the number of individuals on a waiting list to purchase a zero-emission vehicle; projections of the quantity of zero-emission vehicles supplied to dealers; and any assessment of the quantity of charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure installed or for which permits have been issued; and automobile manufacturers and dealers will be able to provide and service the targeted number of zero-emission vehicles in the community for the duration of the program; clearly defined geographical boundaries of the proposed deployment area; a community deployment plan for the deployment of zero-emission vehicles, charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure, and services in the community; assurances that a majority of the vehicle deployments anticipated in the plan will be personal vehicles authorized to travel on the Federal-aid system of highways, and secondarily, private or public sector zero-emission fleet vehicles, but may also include— private or public sector zero-emission fleet vehicles; medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles; and any other zero-emission vehicle authorized to travel on the Federal-aid system of highways; and any other merit-based criteria, as determined by the Secretary. Plans for the deployment of zero-emission vehicles shall include— a proposed level of cost sharing in accordance with subsection (e)(2)(C); documentation demonstrating a deployment community project involving relevant stakeholders, including— a list of stakeholders that includes— elected and appointed officials from each of the participating State, local, and tribal governments; all relevant generators and distributors of electricity; State utility regulatory authorities; departments of public works and transportation; owners and operators of property that will be essential to the deployment of a sufficient level of publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure (including privately owned parking lots or structures and commercial entities with public access locations); zero-emission vehicle manufacturers or retailers; third-party providers of residential, workplace, private, and publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure or services; owners of any major fleet that will participate in the applicable deployment community project; as appropriate, owners and operators of regional electric power distribution and transmission facilities; and as appropriate, other existing deployment community coalitions recognized by the Department of Energy; evidence of the commitment of the stakeholders to participate in the project; a clear description of the role and responsibilities of each stakeholder; and a plan for continuing the engagement and participation of the stakeholders, as appropriate, throughout the implementation of the deployment plan; a description of the number of zero-emission vehicles anticipated to be zero-emission personal vehicles and the number of zero-emission vehicles anticipated to be privately owned fleet or public fleet vehicles; a plan for deploying residential, workplace, private, and publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure, including— an assessment of the number of consumers who will have access to private residential charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure in single-family or multifamily residences; options for accommodating zero-emission vehicle owners who are not able to charge vehicles at their place of residence; an assessment of the number of consumers who will have access to workplace charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure; a plan for ensuring that the charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle be able to send and receive the information needed to interact with the grid and be compatible with smart grid technologies to the extent feasible; an estimate of the number and distribution of publicly and privately owned charging or refueling stations that will be publicly or commercially available; an estimate of the quantity of charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure that will be privately funded or located on private property; and a description of equipment to be deployed, including assurances that, to the maximum extent practicable, equipment to be deployed will meet open, nonproprietary standards for connecting to zero-emission vehicles that— are commonly accepted by industry at the time the equipment is being acquired; or meet the standards developed by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology under section 1305 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ( 42 U.S.C. 17385 ); 1 or more plans for effective marketing of and consumer education relating to zero-emission vehicles, charging or refueling services, and charging infrastructure; descriptions of updated building codes (or a plan to update building codes before or during the grant period) to include charging infrastructure or dedicated circuits for charging infrastructure, as appropriate, in new construction and major renovations; descriptions of updated construction permitting or inspection processes (or a plan to update construction permitting or inspection processes) to allow for expedited installation of charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure for purchasers of zero-emission vehicles, including a permitting process that allows a vehicle purchaser to have charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure installed in a timely manner; descriptions of updated zoning, parking rules, or other local ordinances as are necessary to facilitate the installation of publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure and to allow for access to publicly available charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure, as appropriate; descriptions of incentives for residents in a deployment community who purchase and register a new zero-emission vehicle, in addition to any Federal incentives, including— a rebate of part of the purchase price of the zero-emission vehicle; reductions in sales taxes or registration fees; rebates or reductions in the costs of permitting, purchasing, or installing home zero-emission vehicle charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure; and rebates or reductions in State or local toll road access charges; additional consumer benefits, such as preferred parking spaces or single-rider access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes for zero-emission vehicles; a proposed plan for making necessary utility and grid upgrades, including economically sound and cybersecure information technology upgrades and employee training, and a plan for recovering the cost of the upgrades; a description of utility, grid operator, or (if appropriate) competitive charging service providers, policies, and plans for accommodating the deployment of zero-emission vehicles, including— rate structures or competitive charging or refueling service provisions and billing protocols for the charging or refueling of zero-emission vehicles; analysis of potential impacts to the grid; plans for using information technology or third-party aggregators— to minimize the effects of charging on peak loads; to enhance reliability; and to provide other grid benefits; and plans for working with smart grid technologies or third-party aggregators for the purposes of smart charging and for allowing 2-way communication; a plan for a sustainable business model that will ensure cost effective maintenance, operation, and expansion of the charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure and charging or refueling services; a deployment timeline; a plan for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the plan, including metrics for assessing the success of the deployment and an approach to updating the plan, as appropriate; and a description of the manner in which any grant funds applied for under subsection
(e)will be used and the proposed local cost share for the funds. Not later than 150 days after the date of publication by the Secretary of selection criteria described in subsection (d)(3), any State, tribal, or local government, or group of State, tribal, or local governments may apply to the Secretary to become a deployment community. An application submitted under subparagraph
(A)may be jointly sponsored by electric utilities, automobile manufacturers, technology providers, carsharing companies or organizations, third-party zero-emission vehicle service providers, or other appropriate entities. A grant provided under this subsection shall only be disbursed to a State, tribal, or local government, or group of State, tribal, or local governments, regardless of whether the application is jointly sponsored under clause (i). In each application, the applicant may request up to $250,000,000 in financial assistance from the Secretary to fund projects in the deployment community. Funds provided through a grant under this paragraph may be used to help implement the plan for the deployment of zero-emission vehicles included in the application, including— reducing the cost and increasing the consumer adoption of zero-emission vehicles through incentives as described in subsection (d)(4)(I); planning for and installing charging infrastructure or zero-emission vehicle-refueling infrastructure, including offering additional incentives as described in subsection (d)(4)(I); updating building codes, zoning or parking rules, or permitting or inspection processes as described in subparagraphs (F), (G), and
(H)of subsection (d)(4); workforce training, including training of permitting officials; public education and marketing described in the proposed marketing plan; supplementing (and not supplanting) the number of zero-emission vehicles that are purchased by State, local, and tribal governments; and necessary utility and grid upgrades as described in subsection (d)(4)(K). A grant provided under this paragraph shall be subject to a minimum non-Federal cost-sharing requirement of 20 percent. The Secretary shall— determine the appropriate cost share for each selected applicant; and require that not less than 20 percent of the cost of an activity funded by a grant under this paragraph be provided by a non-Federal source. The Secretary may reduce or eliminate the cost-sharing requirement described in clause (i), as the Secretary determines to be necessary. In calculating the amount of the non-Federal share under this section, the Secretary— may include allowable costs in accordance with the applicable cost principles, including— cash; personnel costs; the value of a service, other resource, or third party in-kind contribution determined in accordance with the applicable circular of the Office of Management and Budget; indirect costs or facilities and administrative costs; or any funds received under the power program of the Tennessee Valley Authority or any Power Marketing Administration (except to the extent that such funds are made available under an annual appropriations Act); shall include contributions made by State, tribal, or local government entities and private entities; and shall not include— revenues or royalties from the prospective operation of an activity beyond the time considered in the grant; proceeds from the prospective sale of an asset of an activity; or other appropriated Federal funds. The Secretary shall not require repayment of the Federal share of a cost-shared activity under this section as a condition of providing a grant. The Secretary may vest title or other property interests acquired under projects funded under this Act in any entity, including the United States. The Secretary shall consider the receipt of other Federal funds received by the applicant in determining the cost share of the applicant. Not later than 120 days after an application deadline has been established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall announce the names of the deployment communities selected under this subsection. The Secretary shall— determine what data will be required to be collected by participants in deployment communities and submitted to the Department of Energy to allow for analysis of the deployment communities; provide for the protection of consumer privacy, as appropriate; and develop metrics to evaluate the performance of the deployment communities. As a condition of participation in the Program, a deployment community shall provide any data identified by the Secretary under paragraph (1). Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress an interim report that contains— a description of the status of— the deployment communities and the implementation of the deployment plan of each deployment community; the rate of vehicle manufacturing deployment and market penetration of zero-emission vehicles; and the deployment of residential and publicly available infrastructure; a description of the challenges experienced and lessons learned from the Program to date, including the activities described in clause (i); and an analysis of the data collected under this subsection. On completion of the Program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a final report that contains— updates on the information described in subparagraph (A); a description of the successes and failures of the Program; recommendations on whether to promote further deployment of zero-emission vehicles; and if additional deployment communities are recommended, information on— the number of additional deployment communities that should be selected; the manner in which criteria for selection should be updated; the manner in which incentive structures for deployment should be changed; and whether other forms of onboard energy storage for zero-emission vehicles should be included. The Secretary shall, as appropriate, provide for the protection of proprietary information and intellectual property rights in carrying out the Program. The Secretary shall use to carry out this section not more than $12,500,000,000 for each fiscal year from the Climate Fund.
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Sec. 403
Accelerating the deployment of zero-emission vehicles in communities
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