Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced $3 million in available funding for municipalities in New York to advance the purchase or lease of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) such as battery electric and hydrogen vehicles. The rebates will be provided through the record $300 million Environmental Protection Fund investment in the 2017 State Budget and will help New York meet its commitments under the Multi-State ZEV Memorandum of Understanding, which aims to put 3.3 million ZEVs on the roads in the participating states by 2025.
The rebates will also advance the state’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 under Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy.
“New York is a leader in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change,” Cuomo said. “This funding will help reduce our carbon footprint by creating climate-resilient communities and is another step toward a cleaner, greener and more sustainable New York for all.”
The rebate program will be administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) through the New York State Grants Gateway. Municipalities will be eligible for reimbursement of up to $5,000 per vehicle for purchase or leasing of eligible clean vehicles and up to $250,000 per facility for installation of eligible Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment or hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure. DEC will accept applications for rebates on a first-come, first-served basis through March 31, 2017, or until the funds are exhausted.
A total of up to $750,000 will be available for clean vehicle rebates. Municipalities that purchase a new clean vehicle on or after April 1, 2016 are eligible for the rebate. Rebates of $2,500 are available for vehicles with a 10-50 mile electric range. Rebates of $5,000 are available for vehicles with an electric range greater than 50 miles.
“We are pleased to provide this important support for municipalities to include clean vehicles in their municipal fleets and install clean vehicle support infrastructure for public use,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Forward-thinking municipalities like our 187 registered Climate Smart Communities are key players in New York’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy.”
New York is also advancing other opportunities for consumers and state and municipal governments to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, including an aggregated procurement of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and an aggregated procurement of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment infrastructure through the New York Power Authority.
For questions about municipal clean vehicle/ZEV infrastructure rebates contact DEC’s Office of Climate Change at 518-402-8448.
