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TO: |
Board of Trustees |
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THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
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FROM: |
Nichol Bourdeaux, Chief Planning & Engagement Officer |
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PRESENTER(S): |
Hal Johnson, Director Innovative Mobility Solutions |
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James Campbell, Rocky Mountain Power |
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Bartly Matthews, Utah State University |
TITLE:
title
Transportation Infrastructure Amendments (2023 Senate Bill 125) and UTA Rocky Mountain Power Partnership Update
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Discussion
RECOMMENDATION: Informational report for discussion
BACKGROUND:
In 2019, UTA and Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) signed a master agreement to guide future electrical infrastructure development. UTA is a substantial user of electricity, with 50 miles of light rail and 34 battery-electric buses, as well as facilities. The partnership agreement was updated in 2023 to reflect the progress made. The graphic below notes the focus areas of the agreement.
Senate Bill 125 passed in 2023. The bill created a new steering committee to plan for electrified transportation across State agencies. A summary of the Bill is below:
§ An advisory board is developed to guide investments in electrified transportation. UTA is a member of the Board.
§ Develop a plan by August 2024
§ Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE), a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center housed at Utah State University, received $2.1 million in ongoing funding through Senate Bill 125, Transportation Infrastructure Amendments.
§ ASPIRE conducts vital research to pave the way for real-world deployment of electrified transportation systems.
§ ASPIRE partners with the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and eight other universities worldwide in its research, supported by NSF, industry partners, and research grants from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation.
DISCUSSION:
Utah State is developing a comprehensive electrification plan to address charging for all users as well as energy availability. The plan is focusing on the development of shared infrastructure to improve energy efficiency and reduce cost.
ALTERNATIVES:
n/a
FISCAL IMPACT:
n/a
ATTACHMENTS:
None