In April, EVHybridNoire and the Great Plains Institute hosted “Drive the Future: Best Practices for Equitable Transportation Electrification in the Midcontinent,” a panel discussion with experts in the fields of e-mobility, equity, and workforce development training.
The panel was followed by breakout sessions diving into utility programs, state policy, charging infrastructure, climate justice, and workforce development. Over a hundred people attended from eight different states and 22 different organizations, ranging from state agencies to environmental justice organizations to utilities and automakers.
As more policies and programs are adopted in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions that aim to increase electric vehicle (EV) adoption, more communities and organizations call for these policies and programs to focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Historically disadvantaged communities often face higher levels of pollution from the transportation sector and less access to transportation. Through a moderated question and answer session, the panel addressed ways that equity, diversity, and inclusion should be at the forefront of policy and program design.
Panelists:
- Isa Gaillard, Environmental Equity Program Manager at the Greenlining Institute
- Jamez Staples, President of Renewable Energy Partners, Inc.
- Terry Travis, co-founder of EVHybridNoire
Panelists began the conversation by defining what equity means and looks like for their organizations. Panelists then identified equity issues that should be addressed in the Midwest. These issues included making EVs more affordable, building out infrastructure in rural and low-income communities, improving access to e-mobility, and more.
The panelists also identified best practices organizations can adopt to pursue equity in their work. These best practices include engaging communities, working in coalitions, advancing policy at all levels of government, and addressing the broader impacts of transportation, such as air quality.
You can watch the full panel discussion here.
After the panel, attendees participated in breakout sessions focused on utility programs, state policy, charging infrastructure, climate justice, and workforce development. The sessions explored community experiences and best practices to adopt that incorporate equity into each sector:
- Spend time engaging with communities to learn what they need and include low-income communities, tribal leadership, and non-urban voices in policy efforts.
- Advocate for multimodal transportation, not just personal transportation.
- Provide income-based rebate programs for purchasing EVs, including used EVs.
- Establish utility pilot programs that leverage revenue for equity-friendly programs like electrifying public transit and making charging infrastructure widely available in underserved communities.
- Work with rental property owners and other housing stakeholders to install charging stations at multi-family housing properties.
- Revitalize auto manufacturing jobs, increase demand for skilled trades, and develop training programs for electric vehicle supply equipment maintenance and installation.
The Drive the Future event is intended to be a starting point for further conversations on equity in the transportation sector. Eighty percent of participants showed interest in attending a debrief session to dive into action plans further.
To explore more takeaways from the panel discussion and breakout sessions, view the event report.
