Date Created: 10-7-19 Drafted by: JG Sponsors: Kohl-Welles Attachments: 1..Title 2 AN ORDINANCE requiring the implementation of a 3 strategy to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles; 4 amending Ordinance 17166, Section 2, as amended, and 5 K.C.C. 18.50.010 and adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 6 18. 7..Body 8 PREAMBLE: 9 According to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the transportation sector is the 10 largest source of carbon emissions in the Puget Sound region, accounting for over 11 forty percent of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. 12 Outdoor air pollution is linked to increased rate of heart attacks, asthma, strokes, 13 cancer and premature deaths. 14 Accelerating the rate of adoption of electric vehicles will help to reduce harmful 15 air pollution from exhaust emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions. 16 In 2019 the Washington State Legislature passed, and Governor Inslee signed 17 House Bill 2042, which became Chapter 287, Laws of Washington 2019, which 18 included a suite of policies and incentives to increase the rate of electrification in 19 the transportation sector. 20 King County plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from 21 transportation. 22 King County's 2015 Strategic Climate Action Plan commits the county to 23 reducing emissions in its transit bus fleet and in other vehicles used in county 24 operations. 25 In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued new warnings on 26 the impact of climate change and documented that the global emissions need to be 27 on the steep decline within the next decade to avoid the worst impacts of climate 28 change. 29 King County must move faster and more aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas 30 emissions. 31 The county is currently working to revise its Strategic Climate Action Plan to 32 reflect the most recent data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 33 King County can significantly reduce the region's greenhouse gas emissions from 34 transportation and can improve air quality by taking actions now to accelerate the 35 adoption of electric vehicles in the county's vehicle fleet, including transit buses, 36 and partnering with stakeholders in the region to accelerate the equitable adoption 37 of electrical vehicles in the region. 38 In 2017, the executive transmitted to the Council the Feasibility of Achieving a 39 Carbon-Neutral or Zero-Emission Fleet Report, which recommended that King 40 County transition to a zero-emission fleet by as early as 2034 and no later than 41 2040. This study guides investment in service and infrastructure, with an 42 emphasis on equitable distribution of benefits. 43 In February 2019, consistent with Ordinance 18810, the executive transmitted to 44 the Council the Implementation Plan for a Carbon Neutral King County 45 Government, focused on accelerating deep reductions in greenhouse gas 46 emissions from county government operations. The Executive-recommended plan 47 modeled the potential emissions reductions of multiple strategies to reduce 48 emissions by 80 percent by 2030, including the acceleration of the transition to a 49 zero-emission bus fleet, and the electrification of the broad range of other fleets 50 used in county government operations. 51 The county, as part of the update to the Strategic Climate Action Plan update, is 52 evaluating cost and implementation feasibility of transitioning its non-bus fleets to 53 electricity. 54 King County Metro operates multiple transit fleets with diverse service delivery 55 models, which have their own service needs and safety requirements. Currently, 56 King County operates over 1,400 hybrid transit buses, 174 all-electric trolley 57 buses, 11 battery-electric buses, and 84 propane-fueled paratransit vehicles. 58 Current King County Code requires rideshare fleet vehicles to recover one- 59 hundred percent of operating and capital costs. 60 King County is leading the nation in transitioning to an all-electric bus fleet and in 61 2017 committed to move to a zero-emission fleet by 2040. 62 In 2018, King County leased ten battery electric buses from three manufacturers 63 for performance testing to inform future battery bus purchases. 64 In 2020, King County will order one hundred twenty electric battery buses, and in 65 2021 will begin electric bus operations in South King County. 66 King County recognizes that low-income, immigrant, and communities of color 67 are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and has committed to prioritizing 68 initial deployment of its battery bus fleet in South King County. 69 In addition to its transit fleet, the county owns approximately one thousand nine 70 hundred and fifty light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The electrification of 71 that fleet will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with county 72 operations and will reduce pollution in those areas in the vicinity of vehicle 73 operations. 74 Accelerating the electrification of the county-owned, non-transit fleet will require 75 significant investments in charging infrastructure, code and policy changes, 76 partnerships with energy utilities, and the availability of vehicle technology. 77 Although electric vehicles significantly reduce air and climate pollution, low– 78 income populations have barriers to access the benefits of electric vehicles. 79 For those King County residents not able to easily access public transit, increasing 80 equitable access to electric vehicles can further reduce the region's greenhouse gas 81 emissions from transportation and increase mobility options for low-income 82 populations. 83 The Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission has directed 84 investor owned utilities to convene a Transportation Electrification Stakeholder 85 Working Group to identify and develop polices and investments that accelerate 86 access to electric vehicles, with particular emphasis on reducing barriers for low- 87 income residents. 88 King County is working to reduce transportation related emissions with a broad 89 coalition of stakeholders including King County cities, utilities, businesses, labor 90 and those communities most disproportionately impacted by climate change and 91 poor air quality. 92 BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY: 93 SECTION 1. Section 2 of this ordinance should constitute a new chapter in K.C.C. Title 9418. 95 NEW SECTION. SECTION 2. 96 A. The executive shall implement a "jump start" vehicle electrification strategy that 97seeks to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by the Metro transit department, other county 98agencies, and by residents. The strategy shall include actions across county agencies. 99 100 B. The Metro transit department shall: 1. Accelerate the Metro transit department's transition to one-hundred percent zero 101emissions bus fleet by 2035. To achieve that goal, the Metro transit department shall develop a 102battery bus infrastructure charging plan and identify the budget appropriations necessary to 103support a zero-emission bus fleet, and shall evaluate impacts on base capacity, service delivery, 104and ability to meet service expansion commitments in Metro Connects; 105 2. Accelerate the transition of the ADA paratransit services fleet such that sixty-seven 106percent of the ADA paratransit services fleet are zero-emissions electric vehicles by 2030. The 107Executive shall further evaluate and recommend strategies for overcoming current barriers to 108ADA paratransit services electrification, which include lack of current vehicle technology to 109meet service needs and lack of county ownership and control over property where paratransit 110vehicles would need to be charged; 111 3. Work to achieve a one-hundred-percent zero emission transit rideshare fleet by 2030 112and develop options by engaging with the Transportation Electrification Stakeholder Working 113Group to develop supportive utility policies, recommending the most cost-efficient approach and 114locations for vehicle charging at work places or homes of those hosting an electric vehicle from 115the county's rideshare fleet, coordinating with employers and local utilities to offer financial 116incentives to encourage the installation of charging infrastructure, and recommending code 117changes to provide greater flexibility for cost recovery for rideshare services; and 118 4. Increase the number of level-two two-hundred forty-volt electric vehicle chargers at 119King County operated park and rides with the goal of increasing the current number of installed 120chargers by five hundred percent by 2030. 121 122 C. The department of executive services shall: 1. Accelerate the electrification of the county fleet managed by the department of 123executive services so that 50 percent of light duty vehicles are transitioned to electric by 2025, 124and 100 percent by 2030; 50 percent of medium duty vehicles are transitioned to electric by 2028 125and 100 percent by 2033; and 50 percent of heavy duty vehicles are transitioned to electric 126vehicles by 2030 and 100% by 2035; and 127 2. Increase the number of level-two two-hundred-forty-volt electric vehicle chargers 128installed in county facilities with the goal of increasing the current number of installed chargers 129by five hundred percent by 2030. 130 3. To accelerate the electrification of the county fleet, the department of executive 131services shall develop an electric vehicle infrastructure plan that supports the fleet electrification 132goals in C. 1. for King County facilities. This study will outline the financial investment, 133financing options, and technical resources needed. The electric vehicle infrastructure plan shall 134be developed in consultation with Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light. 135 D. The department of community and human services shall require any county 136investments in affordable housing to consider opportunities to provide access to electric vehicles. 137 E. The parks and recreation division shall increase the number of level-two two-hundred 138forty-volt electric vehicle chargers at King County operated parks with the goal of increasing our 139current number by five hundred percent by 2030. 140 141 F. The executive shall: 1. Participate in existing forums that convene regional stakeholders who are developing 142a regional electric vehicle infrastructure plan that focuses on an equitable distribution of 143resources, including vehicles, charging infrastructure, and benefits; 144 2. Transmit to the council revisions to the King County Code or other ordinances that 145would provide for consistency in the requirements for siting electric vehicle charging 146infrastructure and require new multi-family housing and commercial developments include 147charging infrastructure; 148 3. Transmit to the Council revisions to the King County code that facilitate the 149electrification of county fleets. 150 4. Partner with utilities and community organizations on a pilot program to facilitate 151access to electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, including shared mobility services, 152by low-income residents of King County; 153 5. Develop policies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles by transportation 154network companies; 155 6. Work with cities within King County to share best practices and policies for 156encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles for their fleet and by residents. 157 SECTION 3. Ordinance 17166, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 18.50.010 are hereby 158amended to read as follows: 159 The executive shall transmit by June 30 of every other year a report on the county's major 160environmental sustainability programs intended to reduce energy use, climate emissions, and 161resource use, and prepare for the impacts of climate change, as required in subsections A., B. and 162C. of this section. The executive shall transmit the report to council, filed in the form of a paper 163original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and 164provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff for 165the transportation economy and environment committee or its successor. The report shall be 166structured in a way that links actual performance to established goals and indicators and can 167inform policy choices, program priorities and investments in capital projects. The report should 168address the following: 169 170 A. Greenhouse gas emissions reductions, including: 1. Progress towards achieving the overarching greenhouse gas emissions reduction 171targets for both county government operations and the county as a whole; 172 2. Progress against targets and measures and updates on the implementation of 173strategies and priority actions in five goal areas for the strategic climate action plan: 174transportation and land use; building and facilities energy; green building; consumption and 175materials management, including the environmental purchasing program; and forestry and 176agriculture; and 177 3. A summary of major expenses associated with the climate impacts research, 178community-scale emissions inventories, climate change community engagement, and climate 179change and energy efficiency partnerships with businesses and cities; 180 B. An update on implementation of climate preparedness strategies and priority actions 181recommended in the current strategic climate action plan; 182 C. An update on the implementation of the jump start transportation electrification 183strategy required in section 2 of this ordinance; 184 D. The green building program, as required in K.C.C. 18.17.020.M.1; and 185 ((D.)) E. The program to fund city projects to reduce energy demand, as required in 186Ordinance 18663, Section 3. 187 SECTION 4. The executive is encouraged to submit appropriations to the county council 188that will allow for installation of charging infrastructure for public use where legally permissible 189at park and ride locations, county parks with reasonable access to electricity and other county 190facilities used by the public. Funds shall also be available, in coordination with incentive 191programs offered by utilities, to support the installation of at-home charging infrastructure in 192single and multifamily homes, including affordable housing projects where the Department of 193Community and Human Service has investment, with priority for funding given to providing 194charging infrastructure to low-income households.