FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2020
Contact:
Matt Frommer, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), mfrommer@swenergy.org
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[GOLDEN, CO] – Last Thursday night, Golden City Council took a big step toward cutting transportation pollution by adopting a GoEV Resolution — a set of ambitious targets to electrify the city fleet, public transportation, taxis and ride-share companies, micro-mobility vehicles, and all passenger vehicles in the City of Golden, Colorado.
In becoming a “GoEV City,” Golden joins Boulder County, Denver, Summit County, and City of Boulder in committing to 100% electric transportation and giving residents the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, breathe cleaner air, save money, and lead the way for greater electric vehicle (EV) adoption nationwide.
Transportation is the number one source of climate-changing pollution in Colorado, and one of the largest contributors of local air pollution like ground-level Ozone (smog), which is exacerbating respiratory illnesses and putting our children’s health at risk. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions and they also save consumers money. When comparing the total cost of ownership for an EV versus a gas-powered car – including the purchase price and the ongoing fuel and maintenance costs – owning an EV saves the typical driver $6000-$10,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle.
The City of Golden is doing it’s part to promote EV ownership in the community – installing 20 public EV charging stations and requiring all new multifamily and commercial developments to include EV charging stations. Local action translates into higher EV sales, and even with the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down the car market, the number of registered EVs in Golden and the rest of Jefferson County has increased 25% since the start of 2020.
Golden’s GoEV City Resolution builds on the early successes of their EV pilot programs and directs the city to create a Municipal Fleet Electrification Plan by 2021 and a Citywide Electrification Master Plan by 2023, with policies and programs designed to accelerate vehicle electrification and make sure the benefits are distributed equitably.
Golden’s GoEV City commitments:
- Improve transportation and social equity for low-income households and communities disproportionately affected by air pollution.
- Electrify 100% of the City Fleet by 2030. Create a Municipal Fleet Electrification plan by 2021 and adopt an “EV first” policy for new vehicles.
- Community-wide EV adoption: Transition 20% of all vehicles within the city to zero-emissions by 2030, and 100% of all vehicles by 2050. Create a Citywide Electrification Master Plan by 2023 including regulations and incentives to accelerate vehicle electrification.
- School and Transit Bus Electrification: Work with the Jefferson County School District and the Colorado School of Mines to develop a roadmap to zero-emissions electrification of all new transit and school buses. Advocate for having the Regional Transportation District transition all bus routes within the city to zero-emission by 2030.
- Rideshare and Carshare Electrification: Work with other municipal partners and with shared fleets such as taxis, rideshare, and carshare companies to transition these shared fleet vehicles to full electric fleets by 2030.
- Electric Micro-mobility: Develop partnerships with micro-mobility companies to promote the use of fossil fuel-free alternative transportation options such as electric bikes and bicycles.
“The Golden Sustainability Advisory Board is thrilled to have Golden commit to joining Colorado’s growing number of GoEV cities,” stated Tanja Rauch-Williams and Ken Jacobs, Chairs of Golden’s Community Sustainability Advisory Board. “We’ve adopted necessary goals to move our city and the greater community towards a future of fossil-free transportation, and it is vital that our City demonstrates leadership in this endeavor.”
The GoEV Cities and Counties campaign is a joint effort of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), the Clean Energy Economy for the Region, the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, Conservation Colorado, and the Sierra Club. The effort modeled is after the Ready For 100 campaign, which has led more than 180 local governments in the U.S. committing themselves to obtaining 100% renewable energy no later than 2050. Refer to the GoEV City policy toolkit: goevcity.org/policy-toolkit.
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About the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP)
The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project is a public interest organization promoting greater energy efficiency in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. For more information, visit swenergy.org.
