Project Grant 96713101

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) TO HIGHLAND FLEETS. THIS AGREEMENT IS TO REPLACE EXISTING SCHOOL BUSES WITH CLEAN AND ZERO EMISSION (ZE) SCHOOL BUSES. THIS PROJECT WILL REPLACE 70 BUSES WITH ZEBS IN SOME OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED CITIES IN REGION 7 AS WELL AS A REMOTE TRIBAL COMMUNITY. IN SERVING A DIVERSE SET OF PRIORITY DISTRICTS (ALL OF THEM ARE PRIORITY), THE PROJECT WILL SHOW THAT COMMUNITIES OF ALL SIZES AND DEMOGRAPHIC MAKE-UPS CAN ACCESS THE EMISSION BENEFITS OF ZEBS. BY HELPING URBAN AREAS BEGIN TO ELECTRIFY, THIS PROJECT WILL COMPLEMENT THE RURAL DEPLOYMENTS INITIATED THROUGH THE EPA 2022 REBATES, HELPING PUT REGION 7 ON A PATH TO FULL FLEET ELECTRIFICATION. LEVERAGING A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL, THIS HIGHLAND LED APPLICATION WILL ENSURE EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE USE OF EPA FUNDING. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE REPLACING A TOTAL OF 70 BUSES WITH ZERO-EMISSION BUSES (ZEBS). HIGHLAND IS REQUESTING $20,760,000 FROM THE EPA TO REPLACE THESE BUSES AND 58 EVSE L3 CHARGERS. THE NEW SCHOOL BUSES WILL SERVE ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NORMANDY SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE, ACADEACUTE;MIE LAFAYETTE, TOPEKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHOOL. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE 70 ZERO EMISSION BUSES WILL BE REPLACED ACROSS EIGHT DISTRICTS. EACH DISTRICT TO REPLACE, AT LEAST, TWO DIESEL BUSES WITH ZEBS. ALSO, 58 EVSE L3 CHARGERS ARE BEING PURCHASED. THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE OVER 35,000 STUDENTS. GRID WORKS TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES ACCESS THE BENEFITS OF THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION BY TRAINING OVER 47,000 PARTICIPANTS WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO WORK IN THE SOLAR, CLEAN MOBILITY AND BATTERY STORAGE INDUSTRIES. GRID WILL LEVERAGE ITS EXPERIENCE WITH FEDERALLY FUNDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR HIGHLAND INCLUDE THE ELECTRIC BUSES REDUCING EMISSIONS, SAVE FUEL, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, REDUCE ABSENTEEISM. ANNUAL REDUCTIONS: 0.036 TONS PM2.5, 2.253 TONS NOX, 0.093 TONS HC, 1,328.1 TONS CO2, 118,052 GALLONS FUEL SAVED. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TRAIN EXISTING STAFF AND ENSURES EMPLOYEES RETAIN POSITIONS, GAIN NEW SKILLS, AND JOIN THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY. MOREOVER, PERIODIC MAINTENANCE IDENTIFIES AND REPAIRS DAMAGE TO EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF ZEBS, REDUCING THEIR LIFECYCLE COST AND EMISSIONS IMPACT. III. IMPROVED SAFETY: PROPER MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF BUSES ENSURES THEY ARE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND DRIVERS ARE TRAINED, PREVENTING ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. HIGHLAND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS EVALUATED ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS WITH IMPLEMENTING THIS TECHNOLOGY. THE HAVE A PLAN FOR FLOOD, FIRE, EXTREME WEATHER, GRID CONSTRAINTS, AND EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN HIGHLAND AND EPA. THIS IS A NON-CONSTRUCTION GRANT TYPE. ADDITIONAL BENEFICIARIES ARE ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NORMANDY SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE, ACADEACUTE;MIE LAFAYETTE, TOPEKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHOOL.