Provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the rosebud sioux tribe of south dakota

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota was awarded a $7,879,394 Cooperative Agreement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CFDA 66.046) program. The purpose of this award is to implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, projects, and measures identified in a priority climate action plan developed under a previous EPA planning grant. The key activities include: 1) Implementing a new community-wide electric bus transit system with three 15-passenger electric buses and four drivers, 2) Acquiring an electric garbage truck to improve solid waste management and reduce vehicle emissions, and 3) Installing five solar and wind-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging stations with battery storage across tribal locations. The award also supports hiring four bus drivers, two technicians, and two project managers. The anticipated outcomes include significant GHG emissions reductions, improved air quality and health benefits for tribal members and visitors, and reduced dependence on grid-supplied coal-generated electricity.

Description

The purpose of this award is to provide funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the rosebud sioux tribe of south dakota. The recipient will implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, projects, and measures identified in a priority climate action plan (pcap) developed under a climate pollution reduction grants (cprg) planning grant. Activities conducted through this grant will benefit all residents and visitors to the rosebud reservation through four main objectives: implementation of ambitious measures that will achieve significant cumulative GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond; pursuit of measures that will achieve substantial community benefits, particularly in low-income and disadvantaged communities; complementing other funding sources to maximize these GHG reductions and community benefits; and, pursuit of innovative policies and programs that are replicable and can be 'scaled up' across multiple jurisdictions. Activities:the activities include three measures to improve the rosebud sioux tribe's community transportation, energy production, and waste management sectors. The first project involves transportation improvement opportunities through new reservation community-wide bus transit routes using three electric commuter buses and four tribal drivers. Community discussions will take place regarding transit bus routes for highest community use and convenience. The tribe will acquire three 15 passenger electric buses for this transportation project and hire four bus drivers and two maintenance technicians. The recipient intends to track ridership, rider engagement, and miles and hours of transit service provided to determine fossil fuels offset by the clean transit service. Tribe will also improve solid waste management led by the waste collection department by acquiring an electric garbage truck to reduce vehicle emissions and improve waste collection times and service. The solid waste management project will also include charging equipment and a service agreement for the clean heavy duty garbage truck. Miles and hours of waste service with the clean heavy duty garbage truck will be tracked and used to determine greenhouse gas emissions avoided by using a cleaner vehicle. Finally, charging stations for electric vehicle charging will be planned, installed, and maintained for member, non-member, and visitor use at five tribal locations, including convenience stores, businesses, and tribal buildings. Each EV charging station will include three level 2 and two level 3 charging connections. Each station will have battery storage supplied by solar photovoltaic and wind generation energy production. The recipient intends to track the amount of energy generated and used by the charging stations, kilowatt hours discharged to charge electric vehicles, and electric vehicles purchased for the tribal fleet that use the stations and yearly mileage. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include five charging stations each powered by 50KW solar panels and 10KW wind turbines and containing storage of a 500KW battery. Each of the five charging stations will include five charging connections; two level 3 and three level 2 charging connections. One level 3 fast connection will be dedicated for tribal government use. Three electric 15 passenger transit buses and one electric garbage truck will also be major deliverables. Further, tribal workforce job creation will take place by hiring four bus drivers, two technicians, and two part time program and project managers as part of the larger project. The expected outcomes include greenhouse gas emission reductions and reductions in related hazardous and criteria air CO-pollutants to improve tribal member, non-member, and visitor air quality and health. The tribe will become less dependent on grid-provided electricity, which is 40% coal-generated, for the proposed and future c