A city in East Bay wants to reuse unused COVID stimulus dollars to tackle another massive problem: climate change.
Some Berkeley city guides plan to use the leftover American Rescue Plan money to expand the city’s electric car fleet and help low-income families swap natural gas appliances for all-electric ones. There is even talk of making all of the city’s police cars electric.
Berkeley is committed to reducing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
“We’re finally making real strides in investing in our climate and people,” said Kate Harrison, Berkeley councilor.
Back in March, Congress passed a comprehensive economic recovery bill to help cities recover from the pandemic. Berkeley’s share of the stimulus was $ 68 million.
Harrison plans to use some of the remaining funds to help the city transition to a carbon-free economy. This also includes the expansion of the city’s electric car fleet.
“Right now we haven’t bought a lot of electric vehicles because we don’t have the charging infrastructure,” said Harrison.
But that will all change when the mayor’s budget is passed, which includes funding for more charging stations.
When asked which city workers would use the electric vehicles, Harrison said, “They range from park officials who travel from park to park doing maintenance to people in public works (and) ultimately the police.”
The mayor’s budget includes a climate justice program for low-income families who do not have the money to convert their old homes into green homes. Without direct help, Harrison fears that low-carbon technologies will be inaccessible to many families already disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change.
“Working people who need help to make this climate change happen,” Harrison said.
