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PROPOSED GRANT AWARD
Department: Department of Facilities and Fleet
Grantee: The Forest Preserves of Cook County (the “Forest Preserves”)
Grantor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Request: Authorization to accept grant and enter into grant agreement.
Purpose: Authorization is sought for the Forest Preserves of Cook County to accept grant and enter into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles grant funding to support the purchase of four (4) zero-emission waste haulers.
Grant Amount: $1,040,000.00
Grant Period: 1/1/2025 (retroactive) - 12/31/2026
Fiscal Impact: Not to Exceed $1,400,000.00 in direct match (FY 2025 $1,400,000.00)
Accounts: Vehicle Purchase 51009.560266 and 51010.560266
Concurrences: The Chief Financial Officer has approved this item. Final grant agreement is subject to legal review and approval.
District(s): Districtwide
Summary: The Forest Preserves has been awarded a Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles grant from the US EPA that will support the purchase of four Zero-Emission (ZE) waste haulers allowing the Forest Preserves to replace four (4) non-ZE Class 7 heavy-duty vehicles. The four (4) aging non-ZE waste haulers are among the Forest Preserves’ most polluting vehicles and in 2023 averaged only 3.8 Miles Per Gallon while emitting 112.6 CO2 metric tons equivalent of emissions. Each of the four (4) waste haulers travels annually approximately 2,000 miles, collecting a total of 596 tons of refuse and 118 tons of recycling. Replacing these four (4) fuel-inefficient vehicles with ZE waste haulers will dramatically reduce the Forest Preserves’ carbon emissions by 112.6 CO2 metric tons annually, reduce maintenance and fuel costs, and advance the Forest Preserves’ Sustainability & Climate Resiliency Plan (2018) with a goal to reach net zero by 2050. The project will also advance the US EPA’s Climate Strategic Plan Framework (2022-2026) Goal 1 to Tackle the Climate Crisis and Goal 4 to Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities. The next step in purchasing the new vehicles will be to bring the ZE garbage truck quotes and contract to the Vehicle Steering Committee for their approval. Upon Vehicle Steering Committee approval, the contract to purchase the vehicles will be brought to the Board for review and approval. The US EPA will provide a total of $1,040,000.00 in grant funds for the purchase, and the Forest Preserves will provide up to $1,160,000.00 in matching funds per the agreement. However, the Forest Preserves is requesting $240,000.00 in additional funds for contingency for a total project cost not to exceed $2,440,000.00.
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