03D30125

**Description:** This action approves an award in the amount of $4,999,999.00 to provide funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The recipient will implement greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction programs, policies, projects, and measures identified in a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) developed under a Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) planning grant.

Activities conducted through this grant will benefit all residents and visitors to the Qualla Boundary through four main objectives which include implementation of ambitious measures that will achieve significant cumulative GHG reductions by 2030 and beyond, pursuit of measures that will achieve substantial community benefits, particularly in low income and disadvantaged communities, complementing other funding sources to maximize these GHG reductions and community benefits, and pursuit of innovative policies and programs that are replicable and can be 'scaled up' across multiple jurisdictions.

**Activities:** The activities encompass a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing sustainability and supporting electric transportation within the community.

First, a microgrid will be developed at the Cherokee Boys Club (CBC) to support their electric school bus fleet and a Class 8 electric waste hauling truck.

This microgrid will be powered by a solar array and a biodiesel backup generator.

Although the school buses and chargers connected to the microgrid are funded by other sources, the waste-hauling truck and the microgrid components will be financed through this program.

Additionally, solar arrays will be installed on the rooftops of two public tribal buildings to provide sustainable power.

Furthermore, 20 public charging stations will be installed across the Qualla Boundary to facilitate electric vehicle usage in the community, with ten of these stations supported by a mini microgrid and an extra biodiesel backup generator.

To ensure the effectiveness and benefits of these initiatives, an experienced program manager, a community engagement coordinator, and a studies, assessments, and data collection team will be hired to monitor and assess air quality and community benefits resulting from these objectives.

**Subrecipient:** No subawards are included in this assistance agreement.

**Outcomes:** The anticipated deliverables for this initiative span several key areas.

On the governmental front, they include a Tribal Council resolution and a completed greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory.

In terms of design, engineering, and construction, the project will deliver two rooftop solar arrays with capacities of 52.08KW and 120.96KW, a microgrid supported by a 400KW solar array, a deployed Class 8 electric waste-hauling truck, and twenty electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

For data collection and evaluation, the deliverables consist of a data analysis and impact evaluation plan, additional GHG data to inform the inventory, a data collection system, an evaluation of the full project impacts, and a subcontract with the studies, assessments, and data collection (SAD) team to support these outputs.

Workforce development deliverables include hiring a program manager and community engagement coordinator, along with safety and maintenance training for the workforce.

Community outreach efforts will result in a community engagement plan, safety and orientation training with local first responders, surveys, interviews, focus groups, the establishment of the Elohi Dinigatiyi Advisory Board, and the distribution of flyers and infographics to describe the project's impacts.

The expected outcomes are equally comprehensive.

In terms of electricity use and generation, the project aims to generate energy with solar arrays, store energy with microgrid batteries, reduce electricity costs for the tribe, increase miles driven by the electric truck, boost the use of EV charging stations in the community, and encourage more EV purchases by the tribal government fleet.

Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians

1 - TACKLE THE CLIMATE CRISIS 1.1 - REDUCE EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE

66.046 - Climate Pollution Reduction Grants

EPA Region 4: Atlanta [EPA - RO]

Eastern Cherokee Reservation, North Carolina United States

City-Wide

Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program: Implementation Grants Competition for Tribes and Territories (EPA-R-OAR-CPRGT-23-09)