The Greater Cincinnati area is about to get greener, thanks to a federal “clean air” program managed locally by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI).
Through funds from OKI’s Carbon Reduction Program, the agency’s board of directors unanimously approved $11.1 million to build 43 electric vehicle charging stations across the region at last week’s monthly meeting.
With awards ranging from $87,000 to $1.5 million, the 16 recipients represent a variety of organizations and jurisdictions:
• Anderson Twp: RecPlex, Bauer Preserve, Ohio River Trailhead, Five Mile Trailhead – $1,199,305
• Blue Ash: MadTree Parks and Rec at Summit Park – $87,658
• Cincinnati: East Price Hill, Hartwell, Madisonville NBDs – $998,238
• Cincinnati (LPA for 3CDC): 8th & Sycamore, Court & Walnut, Whex, and Ziegler Park Garages
– $895,972
• Fairfield: Fairfield Community Arts Center, Fairfield Justice Center, Waterworks Park – $443,971
• Hamilton: Hamilton Justice Center, Kettering Hospital, Miami University (Hamilton) Potters Golf Course – $1,597,068
• Harrison: Harrison Community Center – $186,300
• Middletown: Middletown City Building, Jacot Park, Smith Park, downtown – $1,492,405
• Oxford: Oxford Municipal Building, Oxford Uptown Surface Lot – $905,489
• Springdale: Springdale Municipal/Springdale Elementary Campus, Springdale Parks & Rec – $480,325
• Hamilton County (LPA for CHPL): North Central, Anderson, Harrison, Sharonville, and Walnut Hills Libraries – $454,582
• MetroParks of Butler County: Rentshler Forest, Athletic Fieldhouse – $95,419
• Miami University: OXD Airport – $1,000,000
• Union Township: EPOP, Township Civic Center – $947,540
• New Richmond: Willow Street, Western Avenue – $133,445
• West Chester Township: Community Development Building, Administration Building – $211,370
Fairfield City Engineer Nick Dill said, “We are thrilled to receive this grant from OKI. This funding will allow us to install charging stations at strategic locations, making it easier for residents and visitors to transition to electric vehicles.”
Congress established the Carbon Reduction Program as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in 2021. The program distributes funds to states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), like OKI, based on population.
OKI developed its CRP program to build out a network of Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) for electric vehicles in the region to support the widespread adoption of EVs.
With EV adoption surging across the United States — over 3.5 million EVs were on the road in 2023 (U.S. Dept. of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center) – “these projects will ensure that the residents of our region will have access to a robust charging network,” said David Shuey, OKI’s director of information systems and analytics.
“This investment is a significant step forward in our region’s commitment to reducing air pollution and fostering sustainable transportation,” Shuey added.
In the program’s first year of funding in 2023, OKI awarded $2.5 million to six applicants for EV charging stations: CVG Airport; city of Hamilton; city of Covington; 3CDC; Green Township; and Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services. In March 2024, the agency awarded $3.2 million to eight applicants: Anderson Township; Boone County; CVG Airport; MetroParks of Butler County; and the cities of Trenton, Cincinnati, Fairfield and Forest Park.
