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NEW ORLEANS - The City of New Orleans, through the Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS), has been awarded $1.7 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Communities Sparking Investment in Transformative Energy (C-SITE) program. This is part of a $31 million announcement funding 12 Tribes and local governments to implement clean energy projects that spark investments and provide community benefits. The funds will be used to expand the city's Blue Bikes fleet and establish a comprehensive workforce development program, creating new opportunities for residents and supporting New Orleans' Climate Action Plan goals. This initiative is particularly important for a city like New Orleans, where nearly 1 in 5 households do not have access to their own vehicle.
"This investment in our Blue Bikes program exemplifies the power of community partnerships in advancing our city's sustainability goals," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "By working with Blue Krewe and Louisiana Green Corps, we're not only sparking investments in our local community but also expanding access to clean transportation and creating career pathways for our residents, empowering them to be part of New Orleans' green future."
"I'm thrilled to see New Orleans receive this award to implement critical workforce development and climate action initiatives," said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02). "This underscores our commitment to sustainable, equitable transportation solutions and highlights our innovative spirit. Expanding the fleet of Blue Krewe e-bikes and training a new generation of mechanics are not just investments in clean energy and transportation, they are investments in people. This initiative aligns with the City's Climate Action Plan by providing more sustainable transportation options for residents and paves the way for a greener, more connected future for all New Orleanians."
"This funding is a critical step towards reaching our Climate Action Plan goals to reduce our carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2035 and increasing the number of non-automobile trips to 50 percent by 2030," said ORS Director & Deputy Chief Resilience OfficerGreg Nichols. "Expanding our e-bike fleet and training a new generation of mechanics directly supports our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and creating good, green jobs for New Orleanians."
This initiative will operate through a partnership with Blue Krewe, the local nonprofit managing the Blue Bikes system, and Louisiana Green Corps, which will oversee the workforce development training program. Louisiana Green Corps will recruit and work with Blue Krewe to train interns, providing them with hands-on experience in e-bike maintenance and operations, thereby creating a pipeline of skilled workers for the city's expanding electric mobility sector. The award follows and builds upon the EPA's recent Climate Pollution Reduction Grant award of $11.8 million to expand the Blue Bikes service area. Together, these generous federal investments will help the City achieve its goal to grow the bike share system to 2,500 bicycles.
"With over 70 percent of ridership by New Orleans locals, Blue Bikes provides a healthy, sustainable and fun way for folks to move around town," said Blue Krewe Interim Executive Director Patrick Urbine. "Thanks to the support of the Department of Energy's C-SITE grant, we're excited to grow the size of Blue Bikes' fleet and train a new generation of young mechanics. Through these efforts, we will continue to improve equitable access to bikeshare and expand sustainable transportation for everyone here in New Orleans."
"Louisiana Green Corps is thrilled to be part of this joint partnership between Blue Bikes and the City of New Orleans to fully train young adults towards developing the technical and soft skills needed to succeed in their careers while increasing access to clean transportation options for our residents," said Louisiana Green Corps Executive Director Ryan Mattingly. "This partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration in meeting future workforce demands while simultaneously addressing the transportation and environmental challenges we face towards a more equitable, sustainable and just city."
Mayor Cantrell's Federal Infrastructure Task Force, led by ORS, crafted the City's proposal. The City created the multi-departmental Federal Infrastructure Task Force in January 2022 to analyze infrastructure needs within the city and secure funding from new federal infrastructure and climate funding programs. The Task Force coordinates the City's efforts to pursue and secure discretionary federal grant funding from the Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Over the last 12 months, the Task Force has developed and submitted 20 funding proposals totaling $197 million, while securing $131 million in federal awards, including this recent award announcement.
C-SITE is a new annual program from DOE's Office of State and Community Energy programs aimed at supporting tribal and local governments representing small to medium-sized jurisdictions, energy communities and disadvantaged communities implement clean energy projects that spark investments and community benefits. Learn more about the other DOE selectees here: https://www.energy.gov/scep/local-government-energy-program.
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