Authorizing the Committees on the Environment and Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold joint hearings regarding the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, In its 2021 Climate Action Playbook, the City of Philadelphia iterated its goal of reaching net zero carbon dioxide (“CO2”) emissions by the year 2050, as part of a larger environmental quality initiative meant to mitigate the effects of climate change; and

WHEREAS, Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity contribute to the urban heat island effect and degrade the quality of the air we breathe. In addition, rising temperatures contribute to more severe storms, several of which have recently affected the Philadelphia area and led to near-record flooding of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and dozens of creeks and smaller tributaries; and

WHEREAS, While buildings and industry account for the highest share of Philadelphia’s greenhouse gas emissions, cars, trucks and planes account for a quarter of CO2 emissions; therefore, we cannot achieve carbon neutrality without severely reducing emissions from these vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Electric vehicles (“EVs”) and their hybrid companions, plug-in EVs (PEVs) are a key aspect of a cleaner future transportation sector, representing a growing share of public and private vehicles on Philadelphia streets; and

WHEREAS, With federal incentives supporting the Biden Administration’s stated goal of 50% of nationwide auto sales being EVs by 2030, the adoption of clean vehicles only stands to accelerate; and

WHEREAS, Highlighting this trend, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has found that ownership of EVs in the City of Philadelphia increased by 63% from 2022 to 2023; and

WHEREAS, In anticipation of our future EV infrastructural needs, the City of Philadelphia, in partnership with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”) Local 98, recently received a $1.5 million federal grant through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will support 45 union jobs and augment other IBEW investments in training its members to build and maintain EV infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia is poised to lead the nation’s transition to cleaner and greener transportation as part of a broader effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the negative effects of climate change, while also creating new categories of skilled, family-sustaining jobs; and

WHEREAS, This cannot be achieved without a unified and comprehensive plan for location, maintenance and service of EV chargers, and provisions governing their setup and operation, including whether they are adequately sheltered from the elements, and procedures for what happens when they go out of service. now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby authorize the Committees on the Environment and Global Opportunities and the Creative/Innovative Economy to hold joint hearings regarding the reliability and servicing of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in the City of Philadelphia.

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