Overview
Held on August 29th, 2024 at GVC LTD in The Bronx, 50 public and private industry leaders convened for the AEG New York Task Force #ElectrifyZerega Community Roundtable. The purpose of this roundtable was to engage stakeholders in developing a comprehensive plan for electrifying Zerega Avenue, focusing on reducing environmental disparities through fleet electrification, and to create actionable steps for implementing sustainable transportation infrastructure in the Bronx.
5 Key Themes
1. Electrification of MHDV: Transitioning school buses and medium-heavy duty vehicles to electric will effectively reduce emissions and improve air quality in the Bronx.
“Replacing combustion-type medium and heavy-duty vehicles (ex. Buses, trucks) with electric ones will provide a cleaner environment for the Bronx residents.” - Kaveh Aflaki, CEO, IEMS
2. Environmental Justice and Health: Stakeholders should implement targeting electrification projects to address environmental disparities in the Bronx, with focus on high-asthma areas.
They [Residents in the Bronx—from Hunts Point to Co-op City to Riverdale] are frustrated that despite suffering the worst air quality in NYC, there are a high number of EV charging deserts in the borough.” - David Chernack, Program Manager, Empire Clean Cities
3. Infrastructure and Grid Modernization: In order to fully support vehicle electrification and ensure grid reliability, utility and industry leaders must develop necessary infrastructure, including microgrid-based charging hubs.
“Installing Microgrid Charging Depo could reduce utility grid stress and defer infrastructure immediate upgrades.” - Kaveh Aflaki, CEO, IEMS
4. Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Local leaders, businesses, and residents should be involved in planning and decision-making in order to align electrification efforts with community needs.
“Bronx residents also want to benefit directly from the transition—developing a knowledge base around EVs is key, as is creating opportunities for workforce development” - David Chernack, Program Manager, Empire Clean Cities
5. Workforce Development and Economic Growth: Training programs and job opportunities linked to electric vehicle operations can provide economic benefits for the community of focus.
“GVC during the last few years committed to add “Workforce Development” to the community and trains more than 6500 individuals from the underserved community of The Bronx for a better job and lifestyle.” - Michael Townsend, Head of Compliance, GVC LTD
Speaker PRESENTATIONS
Speakers from NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice, GVC LTD, Empire Clean Cities, and IEMS Solutions collectively emphasized the transformative efforts and collaborative strategies necessary for advancing transportation electrification in the Bronx, focusing on environmental justice, workforce development, public engagement, and technical infrastructure to support a sustainable and resilient transition to electric vehicles.
Isabela Brown, Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice highlighted the city's commitments to electrifying school buses and transitioning to electric vehicles, with a focus on addressing environmental justice in Zerega Avenue. Michael Townsend, GVC LTD presented their ongoing efforts to electrify their school bus fleet, emphasizing their role in workforce development and their readiness to pilot electric bus initiatives in the Bronx. David Chernak, Empire Clean Cities discussed their initiatives to engage Bronx residents and businesses in transportation electrification, stressing the importance of public charging infrastructure and addressing the air quality challenges in the borough. Dr. Kaveh Aflaki, IEMS Solution outlined the technical and infrastructural challenges of electrifying Zerega Avenue, proposing microgrid-based charging hubs to support the electrification efforts while enhancing grid resilience.
breakout challenge & 90-day sprint
Participants were divided into cross-sector breakout groups and assigned the task of creating a proposed 90-day action plan for the #ElectrifyZerega task force. Each group presented their plan to the entire assembly, and then they collectively decided which plan to prioritize. The participants agreed on the following proposal:
Other proposed 90-day sprints resulted in key themes to be considered by Task Force members:
1. Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Task Force members should place an emphasis on involving local leaders, businesses, and community members through workshops, planning sessions, and stakeholder engagement events to gather feedback and raise awareness about the electrification efforts.
2. Strategic Planning and Consortium Building: The development of a comprehensive and integrated plan, including the creation of a Zerega consortium can align public and private players on specific interests and establish clear action items.
3. Electrification Pilot Program and Real-World Success: Task Force members should focus on defining and launching a successful electrification pilot program within 12 months, supported by showcasing real-world success stories and gathering data to inform future citywide electric vehicle integration plans.
Task Force Volunteers: Kenneth Jack, KenetIQ LLC (Lead), Pat Sentlingar, ELM Companies, Susan McSherry, NYC Department of Transportation, Mark Simon, Zach Miller, Trucking Association of NY, Brian Ross, bp pulse fleet, Briyana Martin, Zeem Solutions, David Sparber, Soulful Synergy, Maria Fields, Sprocket Power, Nate Putnam, Green Bridge / NetZero V2G, Richard Sturvetant, New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST), Chris De Weaver, ELM Companies, Jeff Rosenzweig, INF Associates, Isabela Brown, NYC MOCEJ, Gary Leatherman, Alvarez & Marsal, Benjamin Kriegler, Sprocket Power, Dobri Stalev, DSNY, Brandon Mohammed, ALIA Ltd., Alvi K, ALIA Ltd.
Conclusion
The #ElectrifyZerega Community Roundtable successfully brought together key stakeholders to address the critical challenges and opportunities surrounding the electrification of MHDV on Zerega Avenue. Through a series of focused presentations and discussions, participants highlighted the importance of community engagement, environmental justice, and infrastructure development in achieving the ambitious goals set for the Bronx. The proposed 90-day sprints emphasize the need for strategic planning, consortium building, and the implementation of a pilot program to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of electrification. As the Task Force moves forward, it is clear that collaboration among public and private entities, supported by strong community involvement, will be essential to making Zerega Avenue a model for sustainable urban transportation and environmental health in New York City.
