Michigan Municipal League: The Review Magazine Jan-Feb 2023 Edition

We are actively collaborating with the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and several regional planning organizations to help create an easy to access and comprehensive EV Toolkit for local communities. Staff from our Labs and State and Federal Affairs teams have also been working closely with state and federal agencies to help shape how new ARP, BIL, and IRA dollars get allocated. And through our ServeMICity program we are helping our members get “grant ready” to take advantage of these programs. We are also partnering with the Great Plains Institute, Ecology Center, and Clean Fuels Ohio to offer a free EV Smart Communities program for about two dozen communities in Michigan and Ohio. The program, funded with a grant from the General Motors Foundation Climate Equity Fund, is a technical assistance and recognition program designed to provide communities with a roadmap to EV readiness, including securing funding and getting projects off the ground. Through training sessions, peer networking, and one-on-one technical help, participating communities are getting assistance: • Drafting EV ordinances • Organizing educational events on EVs for their community and staff

• Creating an EV informational section for their webpage • Adding EVs into comprehensive, specific area, or functional plans in ways that expand access and help drive local businesses • Building relationships with local electric utilities and car dealerships • Developing an action roadmap to EV readiness • Streamlining permitting processes to accommodate EV infrastructure These tools will help position communities to accelerate EV adoption and access state and federal resources to invest in EV infrastructure. The League is excited to see the advancement of cleaner, more sustainable transportation options. As we continue to push for greater access to public transit, shared transportation options, and non-motorized transportation throughout our state, we will also be working to help our members expand the opportunities for deploying electric vehicles (big and small) in their communities. If you’d like to learn more about EV ready tools, contact Shanna Draheim, policy director, at 517.908.0307 or sdraheim@mml.org.

YOUR CONCIERGE FOR N VIG TING NE ST TE ND FEDER L FUNDING ServeMICity

For information on how the ServeMICity program can help you, email servemicity@mml.org or call Shanna Draheim at 517.908.0307

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023

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THE REVIEW