On July 7th, the New Orleans City Council Environmental Advisory Committee, operating under Councilmember Ramsey’s Public Works Committee, issued its final Electric Vehicle Report for the City. The report outlines ten critical steps the city is urged to take to immediately prepare for a surge of electric vehicle ownership in coming years. EVLA representative Vlad Ghelase noted, “With such a compact footprint and progressive culture, New Orleans has an amazing chance to lead the South in clean transportation for all residents. Electric vehicles (EV) should be a technology that is accessible to all, and the leadership of the council on this issue has been remarkable. ”
Among the major suggestions in the report are a curbside EV charging initiative, EV Ready new construction guidelines, “charge to charge” rights for EV charger owners, public city hall EV chargers, and educational outreach funding for residents and low income communities. An affordability and equity initiative also seeks to ensure that the benefits of electric transportation are available to residents of all backgrounds and income levels.
The suggestions in the report must next be acted upon by the council and administration. The Public Works Committee is likely to take up several of the land use related topics at its next meeting on July 27. EVLA is told that certain measures could be introduced to the full council as soon as this week.
Several local organizations and advocates monitored the report as it was developed and provided critical information and input. Among those were Sierra Club Delta Chapter EV director Dave Stets, EVLA technical director Vlad Ghelase, LifeCity, Alliance for Affordable Energy, Chargepoint USA, and 350 New Orleans director Renate Heurich. Thanks go to these groups and the many other supporters of clean transportation, including Councilmembers Ramsey and Guidry, Council District A candidate Aylin Maklansky, and Resiliency Office Transportation Liaison Dwight Norton.
The full report can be downloaded here: Environmental Advisory Committee EV Report APPROVED 7.10.17.