119-24 Attachment - Community Energy Plan Grant Application.pdf

1 New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, 2019 New Jersey Energy Master Plan: Pathway to 2050, https://nj.gov/emp/docs/pdf/2020_NJBPU_EMP.pdf. 2 “Energy Resilience” is defined by the United States Department of Energy as: “the ability of the grid, buildings, and communities to withstand and rapidly recover from power outages and continue operating with electricity, 119-24 Community Energy Plan Grant Application Form Program Year 3 Program Background New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“Board” or BPU”) has created a Community Energy Plan Grant (“CEPG”) program for municipalities to develop a Community Energy Plan to meet the goals of the state’s Energy Master Plan (“CEPG Program”). New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan: Pathway to 2050 (“EMP”) established that community-level action is necessary to achieve the state’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.1 The CEPG Program will help municipalities plan for energy resilience, renewable energy, and efficiency to work toward a better environment for all residents. By using the state’s EMP as a guide, grantees will work to develop sustainable strategies that increase clean energy production, reduce energy use, and cut emissions. This grant will be available to all municipalities, with additional support and funds provided to overburdened municipalities as defined below. The goal of the CEPG Program is to enable municipalities to review a list of suggested initiatives that will help the community identify a set of activities that will set them on a trajectory to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 12-month CEPG Program process is intended to support a review of potential initiatives and to select those best suited to municipal needs and opportunities. The Community Energy Plan, as defined in the “Program Summary” section below, is expected to be completed and submitted to the BPU within 12 months of the grant award. Program Summary Community Energy Planning is the process by which communities collaboratively select emissions- reducing initiatives that fulfill the EMP’s goals (“Planning Process”). The Planning Process includes assembling a planning team of local municipal staff, elected officials, relevant municipal board and commission members, and community volunteers and/or green team members (“Planning Team”). This Planning Team assesses the municipality’s needs to identify the opportunities for energy resiliency,2

Community Energy Plan Grant Program Application Packet Program Year 3 Page 2 heating, cooling, ventilation, and other energy-dependent services.” United States Department of Energy, Energy Resilience, https://www.energy.gov/eere/energy-resilience. 3 Sustainable Jersey, Community Energy Plan Workplan Template: A Sustainable Jersey Guide, https://www.sustainablejersey.com/fileadmin/media/Actions_and_Certification/Actions/Energy/Community_Ener gy_Plan_Workplan_Template10_2021.pdf (hereafter, “Workplan Template Guide”) renewable energy, and energy efficiency. Based on these identified opportunities, the planning team will need to construct a plan to effectuate these opportunities throughout their municipality (“Community Energy Plan”). The core activity for each Planning Team is to work through the Community Energy Plan Workplan Template.3 The BPU’s Office of Clean Energy Equity, working with partner Sustainable Jersey, has developed the Workplan Template so that it identifies a slate of practical and impactful energy strategies that municipalities can implement. This allows municipal CEPG recipients to focus their efforts on assessing the actions that will contribute to improving local energy performance and achieving statewide energy goals. Using the Workplan Template as a means of effectuating the Community Energy Plan, the Planning Team will develop and determine the steps that need to be taken and a timeline for the implementation of these steps for each initiative selected as part of its Workplan Template. The Workplan Template will list key department lead and/or partner entities for accomplishing each initiative. The Workplan Template will enable the Planning Team to begin to identify potential sources of funding for implementation of the identified initiatives. The Planning Team should engage the entire community during the Planning Process through public meetings to determine the targeted initiatives and develop a timeline for implementation. For example, a community might determine how many electric vehicle (“EV”) charging stations are currently publicly accessible and set a target for providing more EV charging stations in its community. Alternatively, a community may wish to prioritize energy efficiency for local businesses and plan an outreach campaign to help businesses take advantage of state or utility energy efficiency incentives. The CEPG

ly, a community may wish to prioritize energy efficiency for local businesses and plan an outreach campaign to help businesses take advantage of state or utility energy efficiency incentives. The CEPG Program does not fund implementation of projects identified by the municipality. The CEPG is to be used for creating the municipality’s Community Energy Plan itself. Section A: Application Instructions, Terms and Conditions The application form in Section B below is intended only for municipalities submitting a CEP proposal for consideration by the BPU for participation in the CEPG Program. This application form is valid only for the following CEPG Program year and application period: Program Year 3 Application Period Opening Date: December 19, 2023 Application Period Close Date: May 24, 2024

Community Energy Plan Grant Program Application Packet Program Year 3 Page 3 4 See DCA, 2020 Municipal Revitalization Index – Alphabetical (2020), https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nj.gov%2Fdca%2Fhome%2F2020_MRI_ Scores_and_Rankings.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK. I. Minimum Qualification Requirements The purpose of this application is for municipalities to create a Community Energy Plan that aligns local community initiatives with the State’s EMP. All municipalities that submit a completed application for a CEPG are eligible to receive a $10,000 grant award. Municipalities identified as an overburdened municipality, as more fully described below in Section b. Overburdened Municipalities Defined, are eligible for a $25,000 grant award. a. Eligibility and Procedure The CEPG Program is open to proposals that meet the following minimum requirements. The applicant (“Applicant”), as defined below, must: 1. Be a municipality; 2. Submit a completed CEPG Program application in full (application is in Section B, subsections I and II below); 3. Submit a completed and notarized Applicant Certification form (found in Section C); and 4. Submit a signed, dated, and approved municipal resolution documenting the governing body’s approval of the application and commitment to implement the required Community Energy Plan Planning Process with the completed application form. See Appendix C (“Form of Resolution Evidencing Municipal Support of Application”) for a form of resolution. b. Overburdened Municipalities Defined Overburdened Municipalities have been identified based on the below criteria: 1. The municipality has over 50% of its population living in an Overburdened Community (OBC) Census Block as defined by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157; and 2. The municipality meets one or both of the following criteria (either A or B): a) Over 35% of the population is living under 200% of the poverty level according to U.S. Census 2019 ACS data; or b) The municipality has a distress score of 40 or higher according to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Municipal Revitalization Index (MRI).4 A list of Overburdened Municipalities is in Appendix A. II. Instructions for Completing the Community Energy Plan Grant Application Form

Community Energy Plan Grant Program Application Packet Program Year 3 Page 4 1. All questions pertaining to the CEPG Program application form should be directed to: community.energy@bpu.nj.gov 2. Each municipality applying to participate in the CEPG Program must complete and submit the application form in full. The application form can be found in Section B (“Community Plan Grant Application Form”) below. Attachments should be placed at the end of the Application package. 3. Original ink/wet signatures on all forms and certifications of this application form are required. 4. The applicant certifications contained in Section C must be notarized. Failure to have the Application certification form notarized will cause an application to be deemed administratively incomplete. 5. Failure to complete all sections of the Application or to submit all required attachments will cause the Application to be deemed administratively incomplete. 6. Completed applications must be emailed to: community.energy@bpu.nj.gov no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on the Application Period Close Date of May 24, 2024 to be considered for a Program Year 3 CEPG. III. Terms and Conditions A. General Terms and Conditions 1. The “Applicant” is defined as a municipality that submits a CEPG application form located in Section B, subsections I and II herein. 2. All applications must comply with all local, state and federal rules, regulations and laws. 3. By submitting an application, the Applicant acknowledges on behalf of all project participants that the information included in the application is subject to disclosure under the Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. Based on information received, the Board and/or other state, federal, county, regional or local agencies may use aggregated information in reports and evaluations, and the geographic location may be used to update Geographic Information System (“GIS”) mapping. Furthermore, the Applicant understands that the list of approved CEPG projects will be published on the Board’s website, at https://njcleanenergy.com/commercial- industrial/programs/community-energy-plans, after such time as Board Staff (“Staff”) has selected all participating Applicants. 4. Amendments or supplements to the CEPG application form will be made available via the New Jersey Clean Energy Program (“NJCEP”) website at www.njcleanenergy.com. This

all participating Applicants. 4. Amendments or supplements to the CEPG application form will be made available via the New Jersey Clean Energy Program (“NJCEP”) website at www.njcleanenergy.com. This application form may be modified for future application periods at any time without prior notification to Applicants. 5. Only applications that are deemed administratively complete by the Application Period Close Date of May 24, 2024 will be considered for participation in the CEPG Program Year 3. An application will be deemed administratively complete only if: (1) all questions are answered; (2) all required attachments are included; and (3) all required signatures are included (See Section A.II. above). At Staff’s option, Applicants will be notified if their application is deemed administratively incomplete and, thus, not eligible for consideration for Program Year 3. Please be aware that Staff is not required to provide such notification. Applicants with Applications that are not Administratively Complete may submit a new, Administratively Complete Application for consideration in the next program year (Program Year 4), without advantage or disadvantage.

Community Energy Plan Grant Program Application Packet Program Year 3 Page 5 5 See Workplan Template Guide. 6. The Applicant may be required to supplement the information provided in the application form upon request from the Board or Staff. B. Evaluation of Applications and Approval of Projects 1. Following the Application Period Close Date, an evaluation committee will review and evaluate each application. 2. Applications will be evaluated for completeness to be considered for participation in the CEPG Program. Municipalities must complete the Community Energy Plan Application Checklist provided in Appendix B. Municipalities must submit a fully executed Resolution approved by the municipality’s governing body (Town Council, City Counsel, etc.) in support of the grant application. A form for such Resolution is located at Appendix C (“Form of Resolution Evidencing Municipal Support of Application”). 3. At the Application Period Close Date, Staff may reject applications that are incomplete or that do not meet a minimum standard for selection, as set forth in this Community Energy Plan Grant Application Form. C. Milestones for Approved Projects 1. By accepting the CEPG, an Applicant receiving such grant (“Grantee”) agrees to complete the following scope of work: i. Each Grantee must establish a team for the purposes of reviewing the Strategies in the Workplan Template (see Section IV. (“Sustainable Jersey Technical Assistance and Resources” under the “Community Energy Workplan Template” and determine which Initiatives will be incorporated into its Community Energy Plan;5 a. CEPG planning teams in municipalities that are Overburdened Municipalities must meet with Sustainable Jersey staff within six (6) weeks of the award; b. All other municipalities must meet with Sustainable Jersey staff at least once within the first three (3) months of the award; ii. Within three (3) months of the CEPG award, each Grantee must submit to Sustainable Jersey and the Board a proposed budget based on the budget guidelines listed in Section E (“Use of Funds/Budget Guidelines”); iii. Within six (6) months the Workplan Template must be completed by all municipalities (the Workplan Template is a shared document such as a Google Sheet that all members of the planning team and Sustainable Jersey staff can access.); iv. Within eight (8) months, the municipality must conduct a minimum of

ate is a shared document such as a Google Sheet that all members of the planning team and Sustainable Jersey staff can access.); iv. Within eight (8) months, the municipality must conduct a minimum of one additional public meeting to engage the community in the creation of the Community Energy Plan; v. Within twelve (12) months, the municipality must finalize the Community Energy Plan through formal adoption by the municipal governing body through the passage of a municipal resolution and submit a copy of the completed Plan to the Board. 2. If the Grantee would like to change the original budget, the Grantee must submit a formal change request (“Budget Change Request”) to the Board, at community.energy@bpu.nj.gov . The Budget

Community Energy Plan Grant Program Application Packet Program Year 3 Page 6 Change Request must outline the original budget line item(s), the change requested, and an explanation for the change. 3. At the end of the Grant Term, the Grantee will be required to submit a copy of the municipal Community Energy Plan to the BPU. The Grantee will also be required to submit a copy of the resolution that their municipal governing body passed, evidencing the adoption of the Community Energy Plan. 4. Reporting requirements for the CEPG are dependent on the amount awarded: i. Recipients of a $10,000 CEPG are to submit one expenditure report at the end of the twelve (12) month Grant Term; and ii. Recipients of a $25,000 CEPG are to submit three (3) quarterly reports and one (1) final report on or before the end of the twelve (12) month Grant Term. D. Submitting an Application Completed applications must be emailed to: community.energy@bpu.nj.gov no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on the Application Period Close Date of May 24, 2024 in order to be considered for a Program Year 3 CEPG. E. Use of Funds / Budget Guidelines Non-Overburdened Municipalities If accepted, your municipality is eligible to receive a $10,000 grant award. Overburdened Municipalities If accepted, your municipality is eligible to receive a $25,000 grant award (See Appendix A for a list of overburdened municipalities). Within 60 days of the completion of the Community Energy Plan, any remaining unused grant funds must be returned to the Board. The Grantee has 60 days from the Grant Term end date to submit a final expenditure and programmatic report to the Board. Funds may be used for any purpose related to the creation - and to the creation only - of the Community Energy Plan. This includes staff salaries, overhead, consultants, supplies, and other direct expenses. Funds cannot be used for implementation of projects, such as installation of EV charging stations or purchase of alternative fuel vehicles. Sample Eligible Expenses Sample Ineligible Expenses  Stakeholder engagement costs (venue reservation, flyers to promote meeting to discuss CEPG, etc.)  Time for review of Workplan Template, creation of plan  Consultant costs (see Appendix D (“Use of Consultants” below)  Purchase of electric vehicles  Purchase of solar panels  Installation of equipment (EV charging equipment, solar panels, etc.) 

lan  Consultant costs (see Appendix D (“Use of Consultants” below)  Purchase of electric vehicles  Purchase of solar panels  Installation of equipment (EV charging equipment, solar panels, etc.)  Food/refreshments for stakeholder meetings