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Loomis council green-lights application for federal EV charger grant, seeks more budget detail
Summary
The Loomis Town Council voted to authorize a grant application to pursue up to $1 million for public fast-charging electric vehicle stations, but members pushed staff for more information about the town’s 20% match, solar offsets and long-term operating costs before final commitment.
The Loomis Town Council on Tuesday approved a resolution authorizing the town to submit a competitive grant application to install public fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) stations at two town-owned locations, while asking staff to deliver more detail on funding and lifecycle costs before full commitment.
Town Engineer Richard told the council the application seeks roughly $1 million in grant funding to support 10–12 chargers at the train depot and two to four chargers at the library, and that Pacific Gas & Electric must install a separate meter for public chargers. "So for PG and E to install electric vehicle charger on public right of way, they have to put a meter," Richard said, adding that metering will allow the town to track the chargers’ energy use.
Council members pressed staff on the town’s proposed 20% match ($200,000), the timeline to accept or withdraw from subsequent funding rounds, and the assumptions used for operations. Council member Cartwright said she wanted a clearer estimate of the lifetime maintenance for battery storage and solar canopies and asked to delay final commitment if those numbers could not be produced. "I would like to get some more information... I am interested in tabling this for now until we gather more information," Cartwright said during deliberations.
Richard said the grant process has two competitive rounds: an initial submittal due Sept. 3 and a six-month decision window to reach a second round. He said the town can withdraw after the first round without obligation but would be committed if the project advanced and was awarded in the second round. He also said the project includes a solar canopy intended to offset most of the chargers’ electricity use; preliminary vendor feedback suggested a significant offset but he cautioned the estimate was preliminary.
Council members highlighted possible outside funding sources that could reduce the town’s match. One council member noted the Air Pollution Control District may have funds for similar projects and said the board would pursue that lead. Residents who testified during public comment urged caution because the town’s general fund surplus is small and the match would be drawn from town revenue streams; others pointed to potential economic benefits from drivers visiting downtown businesses while they charge.
The council voted to authorize staff to file the grant application to preserve competitiveness and directed staff to return with more detailed cost breakdowns, the precise scope of chargers at each site, and contingency options for the 20% match before the town executes any construction contracts.
Next steps: staff will submit the application by the Sept. 3 deadline, continue outreach to county and regional funding partners, and return to council with more detailed financing and lifecycle estimates before the town is bound to accept funds.
