Mayor Broome Announces the East Baton Rouge Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan.

Baton Rouge, La. - September 30, 2022 - Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced today the East Baton Rouge Parish Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan, which identifies priorities, recommendations, and next steps for greater EV adoption in the community. The strategic plan includes recommended upgrades to infrastructure and policies that align with the growth of electric vehicles in our region.

Significant funding opportunities are available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes $7.5 billion set aside to fund EV charging infrastructure and vehicle purchases. The completion of the East Baton Rouge Parish Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan places City-Parish at a competitive advantage to apply for federal funds.

"This strategy will help make electric vehicles more accessible and sustainable for our community. Supporting EV technology is critical to reducing emissions, improving our air quality, and building a more climate resilient community," said Mayor Broome.

Read the entire Baton Rouge Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan at brla.gov/evplan.

Why Create an Electric Vehicle Strategic Plan? (Baton Rouge EV Strategic Plan, Pg 3)

Electric vehicles are becoming more common throughout the country and state, and the City-Parish wants to position itself to be a leader in the region on electric vehicles. Supporting EVs aligns with many of Baton Rouge's core values and aspirations outlined in its FUTUREBR Comprehensive Plan, including providing new transportation choices, creating a healthy environment, and supporting a thriving economy. It also will help the City-Parish attract and retain talent as more people come to expect EV-supporting infrastructure when deciding where to work and live.

City-Parish Demographics (Baton Rouge EV Strategic Plan, Pg 4)

In East Baton Rouge Parish, approximately 40 percent of occupied housing units are renter-occupied, compared to 33 percent in Louisiana. Because renters have less control over infrastructure upgrades where they live (e.g., installation of EV chargers), it is important to focus on strategies for areas with high concentrations of renter-occupied housing for EV charging infrastructure. Figure 1 (brla.gov/evplan) shows the distribution of renter-occupied housing units in East Baton Rouge Parish. High concentrations of renter-occupied housing units are located in downtown Baton Rouge, near the Louisiana State University (LSU) campus, and in north Baton Rouge.

Justice40 (Baton Rouge EV Strategic Plan, Pg 5)

The Justice40 initiative is a federal goal that "40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution." This initiative is being applied to the grants from the IIJA, and therefore it is helpful to understand which areas of City-Parish should be prioritized for additional programs and funding.

The Eight Strategies: (Baton Rouge EV Strategic Plan, Pg 7-16)

1. Expand charging infrastructure at locations owned by City-Parish

2. Encourage and incentivize privately owned charging infrastructure across the City-Parish

3. Support long-term planning around the placement of EV charging infrastructure

4. Transition municipal fleet to zero-emission vehicles

5. Update policies and procedures to address electric vehicles in the fleet

6. Develop outreach materials and support events that provide information about EVs

7. Leverage partnerships and programs for monetary or in-kind support of transportation electrification

8. Encourage companies that provide new mobility options to deploy in Baton Rouge

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