Georgia and Rivian Road Trippin with EV’s to a Cleaner Future
The nation may be missing the EV boom, but Georgia is determined to be in the forefront of technology leading us into a cleaner future. On April 17, 2023, the White House Briefing Room released a statement announcing the Biden-Harris Administration would be ‘Investing in America’ with the goal of having 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. The Investing in America agenda means to boost U.S. competitiveness in domestic manufacturing while creating good paying jobs. The agenda has propelled commitments publicly and privately intensifying the race transitioning to electric vehicles.
Georgia got a head start on the road to a cleaner planet on December 16, 2021. Governor Brian Kemp announced Rivian, an electric vehicle adventure manufacturer, would be investing $5 billion in a 2000-acre carbon-conscious campus east of Atlanta. The campus would create over 7,500 good paying jobs. Rivian’s CEO R.J Scaringe said one of the biggest factors in choosing Atlanta was the incredibly diverse sizable workforce keenly interested in technology. Pat Wilson, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Economic Development said, “For Rivian, sustainability does not stop with just making EVs. It is carried throughout their work, going as far as to carefully plan construction efforts at the site to preserve and protect the beauty and uniqueness of their new home. Georgia is proud to become part of their story. Rivian will be an outstanding corporate citizen and community partner, and we look forward to a strong future together as the jobs and investment they create will change lives and accelerate Georgia’s sustainable and electrified future”.
On March 29th, Georgia House legislators approved Senate Bill 146 in a bold step towards being the EV capital of the nation. Livable Buckhead has been proactive and innovative in supporting EV growth and sustainable solutions. Livable Buckhead partners with Clean Cities of Georgia, EnviroSpark, Georgia Power, and the City of Atlanta working towards an infrastructure where all EV drivers are never more than a mile away from a charging station. Livable Buckhead’s EVery Mile Campaign will connect business’ to Georgia Power Make Ready Program helping to provide financing and leasing options for universal chargers. With The Green New Deal being reintroduced to the House on April 22, 2023, Atlanta will hopefully be getting some help funding their vision. The Green New Deal for Cities Act of 2021 bill authorizes projects to clean up pollution with a certain commitment, including a commitment to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers. Section 50143. Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants under Goal 8: Transforming Transportation Systems addresses cost-shared production grants for domestic production of efficient hybrid, plug-in hybrid, plug-in electric, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. With $2 billion in funding allocated until 2031, financial help is on the horizon.
Atlanta’s Sustainability Commitment was a progressive initiative when green living was deemed unrealistic and unrequired. Livable Buckhead, in 2011, began community sustainability development blueprints. In 2019, they created a three-year hyperlocal course of action that aligned with city, state, national, and global efforts to improve sustainability. The city has set a path to obtain the 2030 and 2050 UN climate goals. Now, Atlanta is driving down that path with the Rivian partnership. Buckle up Atlanta, we are going warp speed into the future.
Teresa Perkins is a climate change and sustainability journalist, who is creating research-based climate change content pertaining to sustainable energy at local, national, and global level for publication and distribution. She partners with non-profit organizations for innovative ideas and sustainability projects and connects global UN Climate Change reports to local initiatives.
