Title
AN ORDINANCE requiring the implementation of a strategy to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles; amending Ordinance 17166, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 18.50.010, adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 28.94 and adding a new chapter to K.C.C. Title 18.
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PREAMBLE:
According to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the transportation sector is the largest source of carbon emissions in the Puget Sound region, accounting for over forty percent of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
Outdoor air pollution is linked to increased rate of heart attacks, asthma, strokes, cancer and premature deaths.
Accelerating the rate of adoption of electric vehicles will help to reduce harmful air pollution from exhaust emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2019 the Washington state Legislature passed, and Governor Inslee signed, House Bill 2042, which became Chapter 287, Laws of Washington 2019, which included a suite of policies and incentives to increase the rate of electrification in the transportation sector.
King County plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
King County's 2015 Strategic Climate Action Plan commits the county to reducing emissions in its transit bus fleet and in other vehicles used in county operations.
In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued new warnings on the impact of climate change and documented that the global emissions need to be on the steep decline within the next decade to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
King County must move faster and more aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The county is currently working to revise its Strategic Climate Action Plan to reflect the most recent data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
King County can significantly reduce the region's greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and can improve air quality by taking actions now to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in the county's vehicle fleet, including transit buses, and partnering with stakeholders in the region to accelerate the equitable adoption of electrical vehicles in the region.
In 2017, the executive transmitted to the council the Feasibility of Achieving a Carbon-Neutral or Zero-Emission Fleet Report, which recommended that King County transition to a zero-emission fleet powered by renewable energy by as early as 2034 and no later than 2040. The report guides investment in service and infrastructure, with an emphasis on equitable distribution of benefits.
In February 2019, consistent with Ordinance 18810, the executive transmitted to the council the Implementation Plan for a Carbon Neutral King County Government, focused on accelerating deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from county government operations. The executive-recommended plan modeled the potential emissions reductions of multiple strategies to reduce emissions by eighty percent by 2030, including the acceleration of the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet, and the electrification of the broad range of other fleets used in county government operations.
The county, as part of the update to the Strategic Climate Action Plan update, is evaluating cost and implementation feasibility of transitioning its non-bus fleets to electricity.
The Metro transit department operates multiple transit fleets with diverse service delivery models, which have their own service needs and safety requirements. Currently, King County operates over one thousand four hundred hybrid transit buses, one hundred seventy-four all-electric trolley buses, eleven battery-electric buses and eighty-four propane-fueled paratransit vehicles.
Current King County Code requires rideshare fleet vehicles to recover one-hundred percent of operating and capital costs.
King County is leading the nation in transitioning to an all-electric bus fleet and in 2017 committed to move to a zero-emission fleet by 2040.
In 2018, King County leased ten battery electric buses from three manufacturers for performance testing to inform future battery bus purchases.
In 2020, King County will order one hundred twenty electric battery buses, and in 2021 will begin electric bus operations in South King County.
King County recognizes that low-income communities, immigrant communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and climate change and has committed to prioritizing initial deployment of its battery bus fleet in South King County.
King County has convened the King County climate and equity community taskforce to recommend community driven goals and priorities as part of the 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan Update.
In addition to its transit fleet, the county owns approximately one thousand nine hundred and fifty light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The electrification of that fleet will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with county operations and will reduce pollution in those areas in the vicinity of vehicle operations.
Accelerating the electrification of the county-owned, non-transit fleet will require significant investments in charging infrastructure, code and policy changes, partnerships with energy utilities, and the availability of vehicle technology.
Although electric vehicles significantly reduce air and climate pollution, low-income populations have barriers to access the benefits of electric vehicles.
For those King County residents not able to easily access public transit, increasing equitable access to electric vehicles can further reduce the region's greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and increase mobility options for low-income populations.
The Washington state Utilities and Transportation Commission has directed investor owned utilities to convene a Transportation Electrification Stakeholder Working Group to identify and develop polices and investments that accelerate access to electric vehicles, with particular emphasis on reducing barriers for low-income residents.
King County is working to reduce transportation related emissions with a broad coalition of stakeholders including King County cities, utilities, businesses, labor and those communities most disproportionately impacted by climate change and poor air quality.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Section 2 of this ordinance should constitute a new chapter in K.C.C. Title 18.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 2.
A. The executive shall implement a "jump start" vehicle electrification strategy that seeks to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by the Metro transit department, by other county agencies and by residents. The strategy shall include goals and actions across county agencies. The following King County vehicle electrification goals are established:
1. A one-hundred-percent zero-emission revenue bus fleet by 2035;
2. A sixty-seven-percent zero-emission ADA paratransit fleet by 2030;
3. A one-hundred-percent zero-emission rideshare fleet by 2030;
4. Installation of one hundred twenty-five chargers at King County-owned park and rides by 2030;
5. Fifty percent of light-duty vehicles are transitioned to electric by 2025 and one hundred percent by 2030;
6. Fifty percent of medium-duty vehicles are transitioned to electric by 2028 and one hundred percent by 2033;
7. Fifty percent of heavy-duty vehicles are transitioned to electric vehicles by 2038 and one hundred percent by 2043; and
8. Installation of one hundred fifty chargers by 2030 in county facilities.
B. The department of executive services shall:
1. Require that all new light-duty vehicles purchased are electric, unless the customer agency can demonstrate that there are no feasible alternatives that meet business needs and support delivery of county services;
2. To accelerate the electrification of the county fleet, the department of executive services shall develop an electric vehicle infrastructure analysis and implementation plan for King County facilities that supports the fleet electrification goals in subsection A.5. through 7 of this section. The study shall outline the necessary infrastructure development, financial investment, financing options, policy changes and technical resources needed to support accelerated vehicle electrification. The electric vehicle infrastructure plan shall be developed in consultation with Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light. The executive must file the plan by September 14, 2020, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff for the mobility and environment committee or its successor; and
3. Work with county agencies managing medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to seek grant funding and collaborate with utilities and manufacturers to pilot use of medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles in support of achieving electrification of fifty percent of the medium-duty fleet by 2028 and fifty percent of the heavy-duty fleet by 2038.
C. The parks and recreation division shall increase the number of electric vehicle chargers at King County-operated parks with the goal of siting electric vehicle chargers at King County-operated parks to support electrification of county fleet vehicles and increase public access in areas with limited access to electric vehicle chargers.
D. When evaluating public charging infrastructure needs, the executive shall consider the charging infrastructure required for a range of electric vehicles, including light electric vehicles, such as electric bikes, scooters or other battery-powered vehicles, used for transporting people from one place to another. The executive shall monitor trends in electric vehicle adoption and develop consistent policies and practices for public electric charging at King County facilities.
E. The executive shall implement this section, section 2 of this ordinance, and K.C.C. 18.50.010 consistent with Ordinance 16804, Section 3, relating to the development and use of electric vehicle charging stations at King County facilities and consistent with K.C.C. 4A.700.700.
F.1. To support the goals in subsections A. through E. of this section, King County, including the Metro transit department and the department of executive services shall engage with stakeholders, such as the King County climate and equity community taskforce. Stakeholder engagement will support efforts of local jurisdictions, regional governments, employers, charging infrastructure companies, utilities and environmental and climate justice groups accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles while ensuring the equitable distribution of benefits of electric vehicles and promoting equitable access to mobility that prioritizes shared mobility solutions. King County will also participate in regional forums to support and continue to advocate for funding and enabling legislation.
2. The executive shall transmit a report on options to require, incentivize or otherwise ensure electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new multifamily construction and other development proposals that include expansion of parking areas in the unincoporated area and an ordinance that would establish requirements to ensure that new parking areas are designed to include some amount of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to account for increased use of electric vehicles in the future. The report and ordinance shall be developed in consultation with stakeholder groups, including representatives of the building and electric vehicle industries and utilities. The executive must transmit the report and recommendations by September 14, 2020, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff for the local services committee or its successor.
3. The executive shall transmit to the council revisions to the King County Code that facilitate the electrification of county fleets.
4. The executive shall partner with utilities and community organizations on a pilot program to facilitate access to electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, including shared mobility services, by low-income residents of King County.
5. The executive shall develop policies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles by transportation network companies.
6. The executive shall work with cities within King County to share best practices and policies for encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles for their fleet and by residents.
7. The executive is encouraged to submit appropriations to the county council that will allow for installation of charging infrastructure for public use where legally permissible at park and locations, county parks with reasonable access to electricity and other county facilities used by the public. The executive , in coordination with utilities, is also encouraged to submit appropriations to the county council that also include incentive programs, to support the installation of at-home charging infrastructure in single and multifamily homes, including affordable housing projects where the department of community and human services has investment, with priority for funding given to providing charging infrastructure to low-income households.
SECTION 3. Ordinance 17166, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 18.50.010 are hereby amended to read as follows:
The executive shall transmit by June 30 of every other year a progress report on the county's major environmental sustainability programs intended to reduce energy use, climate emissions, and resource use, and prepare for the impacts of climate change, as required in subsections A., B. and C. of this section. In those years in which the update to the strategic climate action plan as required in K.C.C. 18.25.010 is transmitted, the information required by the report shall be included in the update to the strategic climate action plan. In all other years, ((T))the executive shall transmit the report to council, filed in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff for the transportation economy and environment committee or its successor. The report shall be structured in a way that links actual performance to established goals and indicators and can inform policy choices, program priorities and investments in capital projects. The report should address the following:
A. Greenhouse gas emissions reductions, including:
1. Progress towards achieving the overarching greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for both county government operations and the county as a whole;
2. Progress against targets and measures and updates on the implementation of strategies and priority actions in five goal areas for the strategic climate action plan: transportation and land use; building and facilities energy; green building; consumption and materials management, including the environmental purchasing program; and forestry and agriculture; and
3. A summary of major expenses associated with the climate impacts research, community-scale emissions inventories, climate change community engagement, and climate change and energy efficiency partnerships with businesses and cities;
B. An update on implementation of climate preparedness strategies and priority actions recommended in the current strategic climate action plan;
C. Beginning in 2021, an update on the implementation of the jump start transportation electrification strategy required in section 2 of this ordinance. The update shall include a report on the Metro transit department's zero-emission fleet goal implementation, updating the implementation report to include modified or new milestones; strategies to accelerate implementation and interim milestones, strategic climate action plan modelling and goals, information technology advances and reporting on section 4.B. of this ordinance. The update shall also include any analysis completed in selecting the public charging infrastructure provided in King County-owned facilities and describe how the needs of a variety of different types of electric vehicles, including light electric vehicles, were considered in the analysis;
D. The green building program, as required in K.C.C. 18.17.020.M.1.; and
((D.)) E. The program to fund city projects to reduce energy demand, as required in Ordinance 18663, Section 3.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 4. There is hereby added to K.C.C. chapter 28.94 a new section to read as follows:
A. The following Metro transit department goals for vehicle electrification goals are established:
1. A one-hundred-percent zero-emission revenue bus fleet by 2035;
2. A sixty-seven-percent zero-emission ADA paratransit fleet by 2030; and
3. A one-hundred-percent zero-emission rideshare fleet by 2030, for the rideshare fleet.
B. The intent of this section is that the Metro transit department should reduce the overall carbon emissions from transportation as quickly as possible while achieving the goals of Metro Connects. If there are alternative approaches to the vehicle electrification goals specified in subsection A. of this section that would either more quickly reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions and diesel particulate matter in the community, or that would achieve similar greenhouse gas emission and diesel particulate matter reductions, the executive should pursue those approaches in lieu of or in addition to specified vehicle electrification goals in subsection A. of this section. Before the executive initiates an alternative approach, the executive shall notify the council and include a description of any deviation from the vehicle electrification goals specified in subsection A. of this section, as well as include information about the alternative approach. The notification required by this section shall be filed in the form of a paper original and electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide the electronic copy to all councilmembers and the council chief of staff and the lead staff for the mobility and environment committee, or its successor.
C. To support the achievement the goals in subsection A. of this section, the Metro transit department shall develop a zero-emission battery bus preliminary implementation plan. The implementation plan shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Identification of major milestones through the 2021-2022 biennium related to planning, testing, procurement and deployment of battery buses and the installation of charging infrastructure;
2. A preliminary fleet procurement plan by type of bus through 2040;
3. A high-level schedule through 2040 for the anticipated installation of charging infrastructure at new, existing and interim bases as well as in-route charging;
4. A summary of the results of any studies or evaluations related to zero emission battery bus implementation completed after December 1, 2019, and a summary of the scope of any ongoing studies or evaluations;
5. Updated cost projections comparing the cost of a zero-emission fleet and continuing Metro transit department's current fleet practice;
6. A preliminary high-level financing plan for transition to zero emission bus fleet by 2040 that evaluates financing options.
7. An assessment of market availability for battery buses that meet Metro's needs and the availability of supporting technology.
8. A zero-emission ADA paratransit evaluation, including a review of the state of the industry and vehicles, as well as opportunities and barriers associated with ADA paratransit buses;
9. An evaluation of options, including public-private partnerships for increasing electric charging or other zero-emission vehicle technologies at King County-owned park and rides, with the goal of increasing opportunities for zero-emission vehicle access to transit. The evaluation should include options to integrate the parking spaces with chargers into the Metro transit department permit parking program.
D. The executive must file the plan required under subsection B. of this section by September 14, 2020, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all
councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff for the mobility and environment committee or its successor.