The Electrify the South Collaborative convenes Southeastern local governments to identify challenges, find solutions and enhance their ability to access and implement federal transportation electrification funding made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.
The Collaborative is facilitated by Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and Southeast Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN).
The Collaborative is an ongoing effort that will build upon the in-person kickoff event in Savannah, Georgia on September 14 and 15, 2023, at which a diverse pool of participants (sustainability staff, city manager, elected official, fleet staff, planning staff, finance staff, etc.) will gather. Collaborative participants that reflect and represent the diversity of regional local governments and will engage in peer-to-peer learning to better position themselves and the region to leverage federal funds to achieve electric transportation goals.
Local governments that were unable to participate in Savannah are encouraged to participate in upcoming quarterly online Collaborative meetings and join us for the 2024 convening (TBD). Meanwhile, SACE and SSDN will continue to gather and share information about funding opportunities, technical assistance resources, and municipal best practices and successes.
The goals of the collaborative are to:
-
Equip local governments with the knowledge, tools, and technical assistance needed to apply directly for federal funding and to influence state formula funding planning and implementation
-
Strengthen peer-to-peer networks to support information sharing and application collaboration where applicable
-
Discuss how to ensure Justice40 guidelines are integrated into project planning and implementation
-
Enhance local government and state agency collaboration to ensure state-led program design and funding priorities align with local needs and priorities
-
Support rural and urban communities in the Southeast to capture a proportional share of federal investments
For more information, please view the event agenda.
Questions about the event? Please email Dory Larsen, Senior Electric Transportation Program Manager at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
About Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy's Electrify the South program leverages research, advocacy, and outreach to accelerate the equitable transition to electric transportation across the Southeast.
About Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
The Southeast Sustainability Directors Network (SSDN) addresses problems associated with climate change through sustainability efforts — work that creates a healthy, clean, and more stable environment for current and future generations. SSDN connects local government sustainability professionals throughout the region to accelerate, scale, and implement sustainable best practices so that communities are equipped to adapt to and mitigate climate change.