Evansville board advances Climate Action Plan draft as $20 million clean-transportation grant remains frozen

The Ansible Times Collective Board voted Feb. 18 to present the City of Evansville's draft Climate Action Plan 2025 to city council, while staff cautioned the board that a $20 million federal grant for related clean-transportation projects has been frozen and may not be available when work is scheduled to start.

The draft plan, developed with a stakeholder team of more than 30 people, compiles 50 actions across five sectors ' energy, transportation, waste, land and resiliency ' intended as a five-year strategic blueprint for local greenhouse-gas reductions and community resilience. "We are nearing completion of the final draft," said Lauren, a staff member with the City of Evansville Climate Collaborative. The board moved and seconded a motion to present the draft to city council for formal adoption; the motion passed, though the transcript does not record a roll-call tally.

Why it matters: The plan is intended to guide short-term, measurable actions the city will pursue over the next five years and to produce local co-benefits such as improved air quality, lower operating costs, better mobility and increased equity, staff said. Board member Robert Flores told the group in a prepared statement, "I commend the city of Evansville for updating their climate action plan. The data on global warming is undeniable."

Grant and schedule uncertainty

Staff said the city was awarded a $20 million grant, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, to support clean-transportation infrastructure. Lauren said the grant is a three-year project scheduled to begin March 17, with the full award to be delivered to the city's account on that date. "We were supposed to have $20 million in our online account as of March 17," Lauren said.

However, those funds have been frozen at the federal level, and staff said they are awaiting court action and federal guidance. "We have to prepare and get ready to launch March 17, but there is not a guarantee that those funds are gonna be there as promised," Lauren said. Because the grant-funded work and two positions tied to it cannot proceed until funds are released, hiring and contract activity are on hold; staff said the grant would fund two Climate Collaborative positions and that the city has pre-approved hiring contingent on funds being received.

Staff emphasized some schedule flexibility exists with the federal grant, but added that slow or unclear federal communication has left the city in a holding pattern as it tries to meet promised timelines without authorization to spend.

Other staff-report items

Staff said the Climate Collaborative is partnering with the Vanderburgh County Solid Waste Management District and the Evansville Vanderburgh County Building Authority to pilot a facility-wide recycling program at the Civic Center Complex and the courthouse building, including indoor bins and educational signage for employees. Staff said the Civic Center already has a contract with Republic Services for residential recycling collection and that organizers hope to launch the internal facility effort in March.

Separately, the city is participating in an Evansville Forestry Alliance effort to increase tree canopy, supported by a grant administered by the Indiana Department of Forestry and funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. Staff said one tree-planting in TP Park and Goose Town was completed, but another planned planting was delayed because the grant funds are frozen. The Evansville Forestry Alliance received the Urban Conservation Award from the Vanderburgh County Soil and Water Conservation District for its work.

Staffing and events

Staff said Nicole's position has been renamed Climate Action Coordinator and is posted; two additional positions funded by the federal grant will be posted once the grant funds are released. Staff also listed upcoming events including a Climate Collaborative roundtable and a local sustainability conference where Lauren and Cliff Weaver from the Emergency Management Agency are slated to present.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Jan. 21 meeting minutes: motion to approve and seconded; outcome recorded as approved (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to present the Climate Action Plan 2025 draft to City of Evansville City Council for adoption: motion made and seconded; outcome recorded as approved (vote tally not specified in transcript).

Board next steps and timeline

Board members asked staff whether anything was needed from the board to proceed with contingent hiring; staff said hires are already approved by the mayor and HR pending receipt of grant funds. The board scheduled its next meeting for March 8 at 3:30 p.m.

(Quotes are taken verbatim from the meeting transcript.)