Prince George’s County Receives $25 Million in Grant Funds to Advance the “Proud to Charge” Zero Emissions Transportation Sustainability Initiative

For Immediate Release:

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

 

Contact:

Angela Rouson, MPA

Chief of Communications

Department of Public Works and Transportation

Cell: 240.524.6988

AJRouson@co.pg.md.us

 

 

Prince George’s County Receives $25 Million in Grant Funds to Advance the “Proud to Charge” Zero Emissions Transportation Sustainability Initiative

 

LARGO, MD – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded $25.5 million in grant funding to advance the “Proud to Charge” Zero Emissions and Sustainable Transportation Program in Prince George’s County. The Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) is a recipient of the FTA’s FY24 Low and No Emission Vehicle Program grant. The award will initiate Phase II of “Proud to Charge,” which includes the construction of a microgrid charging and energy management system, and the acquisition of additional electric buses.

 

“I want to thank the Federal Transit Administration for this $25.5 million dollar grant to advance the Prince George’s County ‘Proud to Charge’ program,” said County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “These funds will be used to put more electric buses on the road, get more charging infrastructure installed, and bring Prince Georgians closer to the promise of a clean energy future.”

 

The FTA’s Low-and No-Emission program makes funding available to help transit agencies buy or lease U.S.-built low- or no-emission vehicles, make facility and station upgrades to accommodate low- or no-emission vehicles, and buy supporting equipment. Today’s announcement is part of approximately $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 projects that will improve public transportation in 47 states. This funding continues the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic federal investment in the nation’s bus systems and transit workforce.

 

“Unprecedented storms, heatwaves and other severe weather events are becoming more frequent and are directly caused by climate change. Collective action is one of the best ways to address our climate crisis. This federal investment in transitioning Prince George’s County’s buses to a zero-emission fleet will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve our climate goals and create more environmental equity in a community that needs it most,” said Senator Ben Cardin. “This is a substantial investment in our climate future that will have a significant impact for decades to come.”

 

“Upgrading our public transit with new, more efficient buses and vans not only benefits our environment – it also benefits the thousands of Marylanders who ride on Prince George’s County transit every day. These types of investments are exactly why we fought to pass the infrastructure modernization law, so across our state and our country we can bring our transportation systems into the 21st century, improve Americans’ commutes, and boost our economy,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

 

The Low and No Grant award will support DPW&T’s Prince George’s County Transit Transformation initiative, which encompasses four key initiatives: Zero Emissions Bus Transition, Transit Forward, Service Changes, and the Transit Vision Plan. In addition to microgrid construction, funding will enable the purchase of 15 new electric buses, 5 new battery electric vans for demand response transit services, and new level 4 electric chargers. These key investments support the County’s transition to an all-EV bus fleet.

 

“We are excited to receive additional grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration to advance our efforts towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation system,” said DPW&T Director Michael Johnson. “This grant is a significant step in our commitment to reducing emissions and improving the quality of life in our communities for generations to come.”

 

For additional information or updates on the “Proud to Charge” program initiative, follow DPW&T on social media (@PGCountyDPWT).

 

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