Equity in Florida's Electric Transportation

How can communities in the Southeast equitably expand electric transportation options?

It's no secret that electrified forms of transportation are booming. Electric transit is transforming, and will continue to transform, the way we commute everywhere. As the shift from fossil fuel powered transportation networks to transportation options built on electricity generated from clean sources of energy accelerates, it is critical to ensure that equity is centered in this transition.

In the past, the implementation of new transportation infrastructure and technologies have not benefitted all equitably. These technologies have often burdened low-income people and people of color, whether through a continued lack of access to new forms of transportation, community displacement to make way for transit infrastructure, or the pollution burdens that have fallen most heavily on these groups.

Expanding access to all forms electric transit - whether personal vehicles, fleets, or public transit - is vital. It is especially important to those communities who have been disproportionally affected by transportation pollution, primarily non-white and low wealth communities who could benefit most from a transition to cleaner transportation.

Currently, equity is not clearly defined in program and policy development and approaches to achieving equity will necessarily look different for different communities. The goal of this StoryMap is to acknowledge how transportation has been shaped by inequities reaching back generations, understand the effects that these inequities continue to have on communities through the Southeast, and chart a path for more equitable approaches.

Through this StoryMap, we explore several questions:

• How have past transportation policies and infrastructure decisions disproportionately placed burdens on some groups while expanding transportation access to others?
• What metrics offer explanatory power for understanding the dimensions of equitable transportation in our region?
• How equitably are electric transportation infrastructure and incentives distributed?
• What are best practices for advancing equity in transportation programs and policy approaches?

Recently, scholars and practitioners have developed equity frameworks to understand the specific impacts of transportation. There are a range of definitions of transportation equity, which at its most basic requires addressing social, financial, and health disparities caused by the transportation sector.

For the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), "equity in transportation seeks fairness in mobility and accessibility to meet the needs of all community members." The   Greenlining Institute   defines transportation equity as transportation infrastructures that "increase access to mobility," "reduce air pollution," and "enhance economic opportunity," and the organization stresses the need for community engaged decision-making. Forth, a nonprofit organization focused on mobility, similarly stresses that equity has   three key elements  , which are also outlined by   SEEA's energy equity framework  :

1. Distributional equity is "fairness in the distribution of rights or resources" and "is achieved when programs and policies result in fair distributions of benefits and burdens across all segments of a community, prioritizing those with highest need."
2. Procedural equity is "fairness and transparency of the processes that allocate resources and adjudicate disputes." It requires that all affected communities have a voice in the decision-making process.
3. Restorative/intergenerational equity relies on making decisions based on whether a decision would "increase rather than limit the development options of future generations.

Each of these elements — distributional, procedural, and intergenerational/restorative — is a critical component of any equity framework. Equitable approaches to electric transportation, then, must be achieved by including impacted communities in the decision-making process (procedural), by ensuring that the benefits and burdens of the transportation and energy sectors are evenly distributed regardless of social advantage or disadvantage (distributive), and by accounting for the transportation and energy sectors' harmful historical legacies (restorative).

In the past, the implementation of new transportation infrastructure and technologies have prioritized white Southerners at the expense of people of color, and there is potential to continue this exploitative path if equity is not centered in Florida's programs and policies.

The transition to electrified transit has the potential to continue these exploitative trends, but it also has the potential to provide more equitable sources of transportation that can reduce affordability burdens, decrease pollution, and enhance access for all people in the Southeast.

Florida's history has shaped the ways that people in the state commute. In particular, it has prioritized gasoline-powered fleet and personal traffic that places burdens on communities living near transportation infrastructure, particularly in the form of automobile and truck traffic.

The map below shows the predominant numbers of cars for all households in a census tract across Florida. As the map indicates, it is more common in urban neighborhoods for a households to have one or less cars, while it is more common in outlying suburbs and rural Florida for a household to have two or more vehicles.

Use the map to explore how automobile availability varies across the state.

The map below does a deeper dive into the use of existing vehicles in Florida. The map helps locate areas with a high proportion of super emitters: drivers who have high amounts of vehicle miles traveled each day and a high number of trips each day (indicated in dark brown on the map), indicating areas with the most intensive use of personal vehicles.

In Florida, it is clear that "super emitters" are concentrated in the outlying suburbs of the state's major cities These predominately higher-income communities rely on personal vehicles, and the use of gas-powered vehicles places emissions burdens on communities who live closer to the city center.

As the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has shown, the proportion of heavy trucking in the state is greatest on major highways, particularly I-4 and I-75 as well as parts of I-95 in Southeast Florida. The estimated 10,000-15,000+ trucks that pass along these corridors everyday result in high diesel emissions that can impact resident health, as we will explain below.

The map below shows the daily truck volumes for major roads in Florida.

Proximity to traffic is another indicator of which communities are disproportionately burdened by transportation infrastructure and where electric transit can have positive impacts. As the map below shows, traffic hotspots are not just limited to city cores but to outer-lying areas with high commuting.

All of these maps suggest some of the ways that the electrification of public transit and fleets can benefit communities who are potentially at risk from airborne pollution. In cities, electrified public transit options reduce traffic and transportation-based emissions, ensuring that communities living near traffic arteries are exposed to less harmful particulate matter. Fleet electrification can have the same impact, though these benefits extend outside of city limits along transportation corridors as the map of diesel particulate matter suggests.

Although public transit offers a key strategy to mitigate these burdens, at least from personal vehicles, the use of diesel buses also can have a negative impact on resident health. The map below shows the main type of public transit used by residents throughout Florida, at least where public transit options are available. Even within major cities like Miami and Orlando, the majority of public transit users rely on buses, suggesting the need for the expansion of electric bus capacity.

Florida's diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles degrade air quality and place health risks on vulnerable communities living near transit infrastructure.

According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the transportation sector is the   largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions   in the United States, placing front-line communities at greater risk of climate-related hardship. The majority of transportation emissions (58%) stem from light-duty vehicles like personal cars and SUVs, followed by medium- and heavy-duty trucks (24%). Electrifying fleets and providing more clean energy public transit options is vital for addressing these emissions.

Additionally, personal vehicle and fleets have air quality and health impacts that fall most heavily on vulnerable communities. As   one study   has demonstrated, exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO  ₂  was based more on race than income, with people of color facing 37% higher levels of exposure to NO  ₂   than white people.   Other studies   have shown that people of color are disproportionately exposed to other airborne particulate matter derived in part from transportation, including PM 2. and diesel particulate matter. The resulting health impacts from transportation pollution have resulted in an estimated 53,000   early deaths   from PM2.5 exposure and 5,000 early deaths from ozone exposure nationally.

Florida ranks 9th nationally in the number of premature deaths every year (1,852) caused by exposure to transportation pollution, and 35th in the nation in terms of the mortality rate caused by transportation pollution (11.7 deaths per 100,000 people). Florida leads the South in terms of the number of premature deaths due to transportation pollution, but the state's mortality rate is comparatively low, and is the lowest of any state in the Southeast region.

As the maps below shows, Florida's cities and major transportation corridors are areas where low-income households face the highest risk of exposure to diesel particulate matter in the air, which over time can contribute to cancer and lung disease. The map on the right shows how diesel particulate matter in urban areas, in this case Orlando, closely follow major roadways and place burdens on households living nearby.

The map below shows how diesel particulate matter in the air corresponds to the proportion of low- and moderate-income households living in the area. As is clear, LMI communities in cities and major transportation corridors (particularly Interstate 4) are disproportionately burdened by high levels of diesel particulate matter in the air.

As the following map suggests, even more Floridians are at risk from exposure to PM2.5 emissions. Low-income residents of Tallahassee and the north central portion of the state face the highest potential exposure to PM2.5 emissions, which can be caused by a variety of sources, including vehicle transportation, combustion, and the generation of power. This region is followed by Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami.

LMI households are particularly at risk, and this map shows where LMI households face high concentrations of PM2.5 in the air. LMI households in the entire Panhandle region are particularly at risk from PM 2.5, while Jacksonville and the Orlando and Tampa metropolitan areas also have significant numbers of LMI households exposed to PM 2.5.

There are currently around 10 million electric cars are on the road, which represents 1% of the global car stock. Only about 10% of these electric vehicles (1,019,260 cars) are registered in the United States, with nearly half of these in California. Despite substantial growth in the EV market over the past decade, registered electric vehicles make up less than 1% of the roughly 226 million automobiles on American roadways.

Florida is a national leader in private electric vehicles. Florida is #2 in the nation in the number of registered electric vehicles overall. As the map below shows, Florida ranks 14th in the nation for EVs per capita, with just 2.7 electric vehicles for every 1,000 residents in the state. Florida ranks #1 out of eleven Southeast states in electric vehicles per capita and number of registered vehicles overall.

In 2019, Florida ranked #2nd in the nation based on the number of BEVs and PHEVs sold within the state. The state's EV market was the largest of any state in the Southeast.

The chart below shows the make and model of commonly registered BEV's in Florida.

Recent research has reported that incentives to EVs for lower to middle-income individuals and people of color are lacking, leaving EVs inaccessible for many in these communities.   One study from California   found that between 2011 and 2015 EV purchases were more common among high-income households and less common among minority groups. This study found that more than half of all EVs purchased during this period in the state were by buyers with incomes above $100,000. Additionally, Non-Hispanic white and Asian buyers were also more likely to purchase EVs than other minority groups.

This study and similar research all underscore the ways that incentives for the purchase of EVs have not typically been accessible - even in states like California with a high proportion of EVs - for anyone but those people living in higher-income households. The result is that ownership of EVs tends to be skewed to upper-income households.

The state of Florida and Florida's utility companies offer a  range of incentives   to promote the construction of public and private EV charging infrastructure and to incentivize the purchase of an electric vehicle, as explained below.

All-Electric Vehicle (EV) and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Rebates - KUA 

• Applies to: Residential customers for the purchase of a new EV and installation of a home EVSE 
• Rebate Amount: $100 for residential EV and home EVSE 

Plug-In Electric Vehicle (PEV) Rebate - OUC 

• Applies to: Residential customers who purchase or lease an eligible new or preowned PEV 
• Rebate Amount: Rebates of $200 

Beyond the state and utility sector, electric vehicle incentives are offered by the federal government. Available federal incentives may be found at  FuelEconomy.gov .

If stakeholders are looking to increase the number of plug-in electric vehicles on the road, then affordability of vehicles, as well as access to charging infrastructure, must be considered.

Even where EV incentives are available, research suggests that these incentives have not been structured in ways that would make them accessible for lower-income households. A   2018 study   of households in metropolitan Atlanta, for instance, found that federal or state income tax credits for PEV purchases were not accessible to many low-income household groups, particularly households with children.

In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) estimated that there were more than 40 million used vehicles sold, around 70% of all vehicles sold in the United States. A typical tax credit for electric vehicles would only apply to new vehicles, not used vehicles, leaving roughly 70% of the market untouched by any sort of incentive.   Census data   suggests that people who purchase used vehicles typically have lower incomes, and the mismatch between available incentives for new vehicles and the capital needs of those who purchase used EVs must be addressed before these vehicles will be more broadly accessible.

Some states have developed targeted incentives to address these issues. One solution is to offer tax rebates ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 where drivers can apply the incentive at point of sale. Other states go further and increase the level of rebates based off income eligibility. Additionally, states offer tax incentives and rebates for the purchase of new and used plug-in electric vehicles. Incentives to support the purchase or lease of new battery equipment in used EVs can lessen maintenance costs for income restricted drivers. Finally, support for the installation of charging infrastructure to support new and used EVs is vital, as   80% of all charging   occurs at home or at work. Each of these approaches is necessary for encouraging the sales and purchase of used EVs by a wider range of groups.

Making EV charging as accessible as possible is key to opening up electric vehicle markets to new and underserved groups. 81% of respondents to a  survey by Ipsos, for instance,  reported that being able to charge their vehicle at home was key to their decision to purchase an EV, while 58% said the same for their ability to charge EVs at work.

SEEA believes that more equitable public charging involves four characteristics, as indicated below:

• Access to EV charger: There must be low to no barriers to accessing charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Chargers in a paid parking garage, for instance, are limited to those with the ability to pay for charging and parking. For all chargers associated with a business, they should be accessible for charging 24 hours a day, and not just during business hours.
• Number of EV chargers: Where possible, charging stations should have multiple chargers to minimize wait times and provide access to as many EV drivers as possible.
• Type of EV chargers: Where possible, charging stations should have multiple types of chargers, plugs, and charging networks to facilitate the widest access to charging infrastructure.
• Cost of EV charging: Where possible, retail and business charging stations should use free and/or reduced fares for EV charging.

Use the web map below to explore how equitably located public electric vehicle charging stations are in Florida. Charging stations indicated in red, upward-facing triangles have high index values, indicating that they fall short on key traits that make a charger accessible for all. Charging stations indicated in purple downward-facing triangles are deemed to be more accessible using SEEA's charging equity index.

The manufacture and sales of electric vehicles offer stable, good-paying jobs that drive investment to Florida, clear in Rivian's  recent decision  to locate a major manufacturing facility nearby in Georgia. As jobs in traditional motor vehicles are lost due to declining sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles, growth in the electric vehicle market provides a way to offset some of these losses.

Nationally, jobs in the electric vehicles sector  increased by 8%  (6,100 new jobs) in 2020 despite large contractions in gas and diesel vehicle design, manufacture, and sales. Additionally, jobs in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) increased by 5.5% (6,300 new jobs), though the market for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) decreased by 7.3% (3,800 lost jobs). Nationally, these jobs  typically pay  between 15-20% more than the median income.

Public transit also improves access to affordable public transit options in the absence of incentives targeting private vehicles and reduces the number of vehicles on the road.

As the map below suggests, urban residents are far more likely than suburban or rural spaces to use public transit to commute to work. Although it is unlikely that rural areas will have sufficient capacity to fund public transit investments, suburban neighborhoods - especially on the outskirts of Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and throughout the Miami-Dade region - that are reliant on personal vehicles to commute for work offer critical growth areas to expand the reach public transit systems.

The low market penetration of electric public transit even in urban areas, however, is an indication of the potential GHG reduction and air quality improvements possible through even a limited expansion of electric light rail and bus fleet.

• Expand tax credits and other incentives to put personal electric vehicles within reach of all households in Florida.
• Make BEV incentive policies less complex for all users.
• Remove conflicts between electric vehicle and child tax credits that currently exist in federal tax incentives.
• To achieve greater energy savings and environmental benefits, policies should target incentives to households with high-mileage vehicles (and older commute vehicles) to get the largest reduction in fuel use and emissions per vehicle for every dollar of incentive.
• Expand access to EV charging infrastructure for current vehicle owners by increasing the number and type of charger at a location, ensuring that prices for charging remain low and barriers to using each charger are leveled. It is also critical to expand the number of EV chargers, particularly in vulnerable communities and at workplaces to encourage commuting via electric vehicle.
• Focus on the expansion of bus fleets as equitable transit options that will provide affordable transportation while mitigating poor air quality resulting from vehicle traffic.
• Expand public transit options to suburban areas that have high proportions of super emitters.
• Ensure that public transit routes for low-emission vehicles prioritize the most pollution burdened communities.