Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorization to Accept Technical Assistance Voucher - Authorization for the Public Works Department to accept a Technical Assistance Voucher for the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant in the amount of $182,320.00 to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency and energization audit of the Water Reclamation Facility.
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Deadline for Action: 10/21/2024
Submitting Department: Public Works
Contact Name and Phone Number: Ben Litwack, Public Works Manager, ben.litwack@visalia.city, 713-4671. Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director, nick.bartsch@visalia.city, 713-4052. Devon Jones, Economic Development Manager, devon.jones@visalia.city, 713-4190.
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that Council authorize the Public Works Department to accept the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Technical Assistance voucher worth the full formula amount of $182,320.00 to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency and energization analysis of the Water Reclamation Facility.
Background Discussion:
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) received funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to create or expand key agency programs. One of those programs is the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program that received $550M through BIL and is administered by DOE’s Office of State and Energy Community Programs (SCEP). The EECBG program is designed to assist local governments and tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
Through the EECBG Program, DOE is offering eligible local and Tribal governments the option to select a technical assistance voucher in lieu of a traditional formula grant. Technical Assistance voucher recipients do not receive direct funding, instead they receive the allocation amount in the form of technical assistance services from the Technical Assistance (TA) Administrator, which will be selected and provided by DOE. Technical assistance voucher recipients may not select their own technical assistance provider. As staff does not have a specific vendor in mind for the analysis, but rather a preferred end result of such a study, this option is ideal as technical experts will be identified for the City by the granting agency based on the City’s desired outcomes. City staff will have a limited number of project scoping consulting hours with the designated TA Administrator and then the TA Administrator will complete the analysis requested. After the TA Administrator completes the City’s analysis project, DOE will submit payment to the TA Administrator. No funding will come directly to the City to complete the requested analysis. Upon receipt of the analysis, staff will then assess potential funding streams (to be identified in the analysis) to pursue to potentially implement energy efficient or energization projects for the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) also identified in the analysis.
Technical assistance can include Policy Planning and Program Design, Building Retrofit Planning and Design, Engineering and Modeling, and Community and Stakeholder Engagement. The goal of the vouchers is to simplify and streamline the process of accessing EECBG Program formula awards. Staff has proposed to utilize the technical assistance funding to develop a comprehensive audit of the WRF to identify energy efficiency and energization opportunities and assess power needs. An evaluation of the existing facility and cogeneration facilities will be completed to identify current project opportunities as well as cogeneration capacity. This project aims to ensure energy efficiencies and outline future energy and renewable opportunities at the WRF so as to lead to energy independence for the WRF and improve overall SCE grid reliability for the residents and businesses in the City of Visalia once potential improvements can be implemented.
Fiscal Impact:
$182,320.00 is EECBG program formula funding available to the City of Visalia, which will be utilized for the analysis. The appointed TA performing the analysis as defined in the scope of work will submit monthly invoices to DOE for their services. The City will review and approve those invoices prior to their submission to the DOE to ensure accuracy among services rendered. The City will not be responsible for tracking hours, invoicing or payment.
Prior Council Action: 3.18.24 - Council authorized staff to submit EECBG TA voucher application to DOE.
Other: N/A
Alternatives: Decline the grant.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize staff to accept the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Technical Assistance voucher worth the full formula amount of $182,320.00 to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency and energization analysis of the Water Reclamation Facility.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: EECBG Voucher Handbook