The Perry City Council will likely take its next step toward greening the city’s infrastructure Monday when it approves a cost-sharing plan with Uncle Sam for two electric vehicle (EV) chargers in the city hall parking lot at First and Willis avenues.
According to the resolution to come before the council, the city will match with local funds the money from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant.
The federal DOT dollars are intended “to strategically deploy electric (EV) charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure and natural gas fueling infrastructure located on public roads or in other publicly accessible locations,” according to the grant application.
The project cost for one dual EV charging station at the Raccoon River Valley Trailhead
parking lot is estimated at no more than $647,389.50, with the city of Perry’s share amounting to as much as $129,447.90 over five years.
Perry’s 2023 application for the federal grant was rejected, but the application received a rating of “recommended,” and the city was invited to reapply. This time around, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is also submitting a joint regional application to the program, and the wider scope could help Perry’s chances.
The EV chargers will be the city’s latest advance in renewable energy. The council authorized the installation of an extensive array of solar panels on city buildings and other public properties in 2021. The city also partnered with Alliant Energy in 2021 for a solar array at the brownfield site north of the former Tyson factory on Perry’s west side. The solar array was erected in 2023.
