METROPOLITAN MAYORS CAUCUS APPLIES FOR INITIAL EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT

As a regional council of governments, the Caucus serves 275 municipal members in nine counties that work collaboratively to unify municipal action and achieve impactful results. 

The collaborative grant application includes EV charging projects to be located in DuPage County, Kane County and 35 municipalities: Algonquin, Aurora, Bensenville, Chicago Heights, Chicago Ridge, Elgin, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Frankfort, Franklin Park, Glenview, Grayslake, Hampshire, Hanover Park, Hawthorn Woods, Hillside, Homewood, La Grange, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Lombard, Maywood, Minooka, Northbrook, Oswego, Palatine, Park Forest, Richton Park, River Forest, Riverside, Skokie, South Barrington, Wilmette, Winnetka, and Woodstock.

CHICAGO (July 25) – The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (Caucus) has applied for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant, designated for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Submitted on behalf of 37 communities across the greater Chicago area, the grant is part of the 2021 Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated $7.5 billion toward EV charging stations and alternative fueling projects nationwide over the next five years. If awarded, the Caucus would receive $15 million on behalf of member municipalities in the greater Chicago region.

The Caucus aggregated 60 local EV charging projects, which allows more communities to participate in this complex federal grant application than would be practical for individual municipalities. This regionally collaborative approach would create an impressive network of 114 EV charging stations across the urban and suburban region spanning 4,071 square miles and a population of 8,577,735 residents. Communities defined as disadvantaged were prioritized for investment, which comprised 51 percent of participating communities. 

“The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has been working to prepare municipalities for transportation electrification and expected investments, like this federal grant opportunity, through our EV Readiness Program,” said City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Caucus Second Vice-Chairman and Environment Committee and Energy Sub Committee Chairman. “Securing this grant will advance the clean transportation objective of our Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region and accelerate our efforts to combat climate change.” 

If awarded the grant, the EV charging stations will be installed at public facilities such as village/city hall buildings, municipally owned parking facilities, and near priority business and entertainment districts on public lands. Applicant municipalities are ready to install the infrastructure necessary for the EV charging stations and provide at least a 20 percent local match for the competitive federal grant.

Christopher B. Burke Engineering and Green Ways 2Go collaborated with the Caucus to provide information for the grant application, including data collection, exhibit mapping and charts.

United States Senator Dick Durbin lauded the application saying, “This support allows not only these communities, but the region as a whole, to grow economically and lead the nation in the development of next generation transportation systems.”

These EV charging infrastructure projects align with many climate change, resilience, and sustainability goals at the local, regional, and state levels. If awarded the federal grant, it would provide a substantial boost to the State of Illinois, including a goal of one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030.