$22 million in grants to support energy transition initiatives at Decatur Public Transit
The Decatur Public Transit System (DPTS) is moving forward with a major energy transition plan after the City of Decatur was awarded a $16,840,000 federal grant for these efforts.
The $16.8 million grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration as part of their Low-No Program and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. Combined with a $3.76 million Rebuild Round 2 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation and $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) monies, the City will spend close to $22 million to overhaul DPTS facilities and vehicles.
“We are thrilled to receive this investment for public transportation in Decatur and we can’t wait to get started,” said Lacie Elzy, Transit Administrator. “This will support several major projects and provides for much of the capital funding needed to help us reach our goal of zero emissions by 2035.”
The combined grants will support things like new electrical infrastructure for charging stations, solar panels that can provide energy for transit facilities, as well as money for workforce development to train local workforce in these ever-increasing alternative energy technologies.
The City of Decatur has made strides in the past few years to lower our carbon footprint and become more environmentally sustainable. Such projects include our LED light conversion, and
partnering with alternative energy suppliers to bring solar-farm energy to our residents. The City has also been working on securing grant funding to provide city-wide electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The recently completed Zero-Emission Fleet Transition Plan is just the latest commitment by the City to achieve these goals.
Every transit bus replaced with a hybrid increases our fuel efficiency by 25 percent, meaning that there are ongoing cost reductions realized by our local taxpayers. The City will continue to seek out additional state and federal grants to fund this transition until we reach our goal of Zero Emissions. Learn more about our Zero-Emission Fleet Plan at: www.decaturil.gov/zero-emissions-fleet/
The Buses and Bus Facilities Program assists in the financing of capital projects for buses and bus facilities, including replacing, rehabilitating, purchasing or leasing buses or related equipment, and rehabilitating, purchasing, constructing, or leasing bus-related facilities.
The Low-No Program supports the transition of the nation’s transit fleet to the lowest polluting and most energy-efficient transit vehicles. It provides funding to state and local governmental authorities for the purchase or lease of low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities.
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