KLICKITAT COUNTY — The cities of Bingen and White Salmon announced last week that they have been awarded $182,381 from the Zero-Emissions Access Program (ZAP) to establish a shared-use electric vehicle program.
ZAP, a subsidiary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is distributing more than $2 million in ZAP grant funding for zero-emissions carshare pilot programs in underserved and low-to-moderate income communities that have limited access to public transportation or are in areas where emissions exceed state or federal standards, according to the announcement.
“Though carsharing is a concept that has been popular for awhile in urban centers, it has been slow to catch on in rural areas, and this is an opportunity for our communities to benefit from this additional transportation option,” said Marla Keethler, mayor of White Salmon. “For quick one-hour trips around town or across the river, carsharing can provide an affordable alternative to car ownership, and this electric carshare will also support our air quality and climate protection goals. I am proud of the collaborative effort and strong partnerships that came together to realize this opportunity.”
Staff from Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) and White Salmon CityLab member Kalama Reuter were part of the application team. The Bonneville Electric Foundation is providing the funding to satisfy the cash-match requirement for the grant. The Klickitat PUD partnered with the cities to provide cost estimates to provide the electricity service.
“The vision for these funds is to purchase two electric vehicles — one for Bingen, one for White Salmon — and install charging stations in each city. There will be a dedicated charger for the ZAP cars, and one that can be used by people passing through the area who need to charge their electric vehicles. This is a great way to encourage tourism while increasing exposure to electric cars,” said Catherine Kiewit, mayor of Bingen.
Anyone with a driver’s license is eligible to participate, Bingen City Administrator Krista Lomey said.
GoForth will waive the normal $25 per person application fee and offer discounted rates for eligible participants, the press release notes. Costs for qualified low-income users are $4 per hour, $35 for a weekday, and $45 for a weekend day. Residents of Bingen and White Salmon who are not income-qualified will initially be charged these same low rates and may also have the sign-up fee waived. However, those who don’t qualify as low-income are likely to see rate increases as vehicle demand picks up. Low-income benefits eligibility has not yet been defined, Lomey said.
“Many people outside of urban areas do not have easy access to electric vehicles. Forth is excited to partner with the Cities of Bingen and White Salmon in providing the GoForth CarShare program to their residents and employees,” said Forth Program Manager Connor Herman. “Increasing access to electric vehicles and charging is central to our mission and EV carsharing programs such as this and others we’ve developed in Hood River, Bend and La Pine, Ore., provide affordable all-electric cars to test drive and use for errands, shopping or appointments.”
Research obtained by Puget Sound Clean Air Agency indicates that households can save $154-$435 monthly after joining a car-share program, according to the press release.
The cities anticipate a July 2023 rollout for the carshare program. Forth is also one year into operating in Hood River on a three-year grant that is providing five cars for use by residents and visitors to the city.
Lomey said the vehicles, not yet purchased, will be serviced, maintained, and insured through the program.
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