More than 140 public agency, non-profit, and private sector representatives participated in workshops held across the southland this summer, designed to solicit ideas on innovative approaches for investing Clean Transportation Funding. The MSRC hosted six public workshops throughout Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties exploring cost-effective ways the MSRC could invest its Clean Transportation Funding to provide maximum emissions and pollution reduction benefits. The key findings were presented to the MSRC Board and its Technical Advisory Committee to help inform the 2013 grantmaking cycle.
Participants expressed a wide variety of needs including the importance of continuing programs for alternative fuel vehicles and charging/fueling infrastructure as well as programs such as bike sharing and bike lanes that make biking safer and more accessible. Additionally, a number of participants singled out the MSRC for being one of the best government agencies to work with to apply for and receive funding for their initiatives.
The Coachella Valley workshop drew coverage from the local ABC and NBC affiliates including this widely viewed story:
New Clean Transportation Funding For Cities & Counties Approved
On September 7th, The South Coast AQMD Board approved the full list of funding recommendations from the MSRC Board. Here are a few of the funding highlights:
1. Bikeshare Programs in Santa Monica and Orange County for the deployment of regional pilot programs designed to provide fun, healthy, zero emission transportation options that also will connect to current and planned mass transit.
2. “Rideshare Thursday” Public Awareness Campaign to educate the public about the benefits and variety of options for carpooling to work at least one day a week.
3. Twenty-three contracts totaling over $2.5 million to cities and counties for the purchase of electric vehicles, charging stations, clean natural gas vehicles and other pollution reduction programs including:
• Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) for street sweeping operations in the Coachella Valley;
• City of Long Beach for electric vehicle charging stations
• Coachella for the purchase of a natural gas heavy-duty vehicle;
• City of Santa Ana for electric vehicle charging stations and the expansion of its existing CNG station;
• City of Redlands for the purchase of up to three heavy-duty natural gas vehicles;
• City of Duarte for the purchase of a natural gas heavy-duty vehicle;
• City of Anaheim for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Chino Hills for the expansion of its existing CNG station;
• City of Hemet for the purchase of up to two heavy-duty natural gas vehicles;
• County of San Bernardino for the installation of a new CNG station;
• City of Baldwin Park for the installation of a new CNG station;
• City of Irvine for the purchase of a natural gas heavy-duty vehicle;
• City of Orange for the purchase of a natural gas heavy-duty vehicle;
• City of La Palma for the purchase of up to two liquefied petroleum gas medium-duty vehicles;
• City of Rialto for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Baldwin Park for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Bellflower for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Whittier for the expansion of its existing CNG station;
• City of Mission Viejo for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Palm Desert for electric vehicle charging stations;
• City of Manhattan for the purchase of a natural gas medium-duty vehicle;
• City of Cathedral City for street sweeping operations in the Coachella Valley; and
• City of Coachella for street sweeping operations in the Coachella Valley
