View full press conference HERE.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer has introduced legislation to the Board of Legislators that would require electric charging stations at parking garages and open parking lots owned by the County.
The proposed legislation would require charging stations to be installed in newly constructed or reconstructed parking garages and open parking lots owned by the County and, in certain cases, receiving Westchester County funding.
Latimer said: “The largest challenge facing us now and for generations to come is and will be our climate. I believe that providing for infrastructure to promote and support electric vehicle use will lead to improvement of the County’s air quality and reduce the County’s production of greenhouse gases.”
As the bill is currently drafted, parking garages and open parking lots that have a parking space capacity for 250 vehicles or less would be equipped with level one charging stations in 10% of the total number of parking spaces and with level two charging stations, also with a capacity for level three charging stations, in 10% of the total number of parking spaces.
Director of Energy Conservation & Sustainability Peter McCartt said: “Transportation contributes up to 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions, and although we have an excellent mass-transit system here in Westchester, adding invaluable electric charging infrastructure across our county will only help us all move off of fossil fuels more quickly.”
Further, as the bill is currently drafted, parking garages and open parking lots with a parking space capacity for more than 250 vehicles would be equipped with 50 parking spaces capable of supporting 25 level one charging stations and 25 level two charging stations that also have the capacity for level three charging stations. Notably, under the proposed legislation, a 120 volt outlet within accessible range of a parking space also qualifies as a level one charging station.
The legislation was sent to the Board of Legislators on January 21 and was referred to the Committees on Legislation, Public Works & Transportation, Planning, Economic Development & Energy and Environment & Health.