The City of Geneva was selected to participate in the EV Readiness program, a unique initiative launched earlier this year to help local governments prepare to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and ComEd announced 16 Illinois communities will receive training and assistance to move forward in this inaugural endeavor. Funded in part with a $225,000 commitment from ComEd, the EV Readiness program will help municipalities streamline policies and implement best practices for safe and effective regional transportation electrification. Electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity and are expected to account for 50% of auto sales by 2030.
During the coming months, Geneva will be working on a number of objectives, including:
- Reviewing zoning requirements and acting to remove barriers to electric vehicle charging infrastructure development;
- Creating and distributing a checklist detailing the steps in the City's permitting process for charging stations;
- Participating in staff training for permitting employees, inspectors, and first responders;
- Educating the community about electric vehicles and charging stations; and
- Measuring progress by tracking key metrics such as the number of electric vehicles in the community (data available on the Secretary of State's website) and locations of publicly accessible charging stations.
“Our aim is to advance transportation electrification in the region to make it faster, easier and more affordable for residents and businesses to install EV charging stations in our community," said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Caucus Environment Committee and Energy Subcommittee Chairman.
In addition to working with EV Readiness, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has led the SolSmart program to encourage the growth of solar energy and the Greenest Region Compact, the largest regional sustainability collaborative for municipalities in the country. Geneva earned a bronze-level SolSmart designation in 2022, is a member of the Compact, and passed a resolution supporting the Chicago region’s Climate Action Plan.
For more information about Geneva’s environmental stewardship, visit the City’s website.