Transportation & the Environment Public Hearing

Council of the District of Columbia COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004 COUNCILMEMBER CHARLES ALLEN, CHAIRPERSON COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNOUNCES A PUBLIC HEARING ON B25-0032, the “Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstarting the Environment (“E- BIKE”) Act of 2023” and B25-0115, the “Electric Bicycle Rebate Program Amendment Act of 2023” Thursday, March 16, 2023, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Virtual Hearing via Zoom To Watch Live: https://dccouncil.us/council-videos/ http://video.oct.dc.gov/DCC/jw.html https://www.facebook.com/CMcharlesallen On Thursday, March 16, 2023, Councilmember Charles Allen, Chairperson of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, will convene a public hearing to consider Bill 25-0032, the “Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstarting the Environment (“E-BIKE”) Act of 2023,” and Bill 25- 115, the “Electric Bicycle Rebate Program Amendment Act of 2023.” The hearing will be held virtually via the Zoom platform from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The stated purpose of Bill 25-0032, the “Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstarting the Environment (“E-BIKE”) Act of 2023,” is to establish an electric bicycle instant rebate program for residents and certified business enterprises for the purchase and use of electric bicycles and cargo electric bicycles. Under B25-0032, residents with incomes at or below 80% of median family income would be eligible for a higher value rebate. The stated purpose of Bill 25-115, the “Electric Bicycle Rebate Program Amendment Act of 2023,” is to amend the Department of Transportation Establishment Act of 2002 to establish an electric bicycle rebate program to encourage the purchase and use of electric bicycles and to support bicycle retail establishments. Under B25-0115, residents whose household income is at or below 60% of area median income or who do not have a motor vehicle registered in the District, Maryland, or Virginia would be eligible for a higher value rebate. The bill would allow DDOT to enter into memoranda of agreement with retailers to provide consumers with the value of rebate, as a discount, at the point-of-sale. The bill would also empower DDOT to issue grants to retailers 1 to defray the costs of hiring, training, and maintaining bicycle repair workers or to defray the costs of opening a business in Wards 7 or 8 that sells electric bicycles or provides bicycle repair services. The Committee invites the public to provide oral and written testimony. The Committee hopes to receive testimony regarding the environmental benefits that electric bicycles offer when compared to other modes of transportation. The Committee is especially interested in receiving public comment on the value of rebates offered and the income thresholds and other eligibility requirements for higher value rebates—including the utility of and process for providing a rebate the point-of-sale rather than requiring residents to wait to be reimbursed later. Finally, the Committee also welcomes testimony regarding the impact of the rebates on bicycle shops and for ways to ensure local business are prepared for the anticipated increase in sales, including by expanding access to electric bicycles across the District. Public witnesses seeking to provide oral testimony at the Committee’s hearing must thoroughly review the following instructions:  Anyone wishing to provide oral testimony must email the Committee at cote@dccouncil.gov with their name, email address, telephone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any), by the close of business on Tuesday, March 14. Please indicate that you are requesting to testify at this hearing in the subject line of your email.  The Committee will approve witnesses’ registrations based on the total time allotted for public testimony. The Committee will also determine the order of witnesses’ testimony.  Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five minutes for oral testimony, and individuals (and any subsequent representatives of the same organizations) will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. In order to accommodate additional public witnesses, the Committee may reduce witnesses’ allotted time for testimony but will inform witnesses if it plans to do so.  Witnesses are not permitted to yield their time to, or substitute their testimony for, the testimony of another individual or organization.  If possible, witnesses should submit a copy of their testimony electronically in advance to cote@dccouncil.gov.  Witnesses who anticipate needing language interpretation, including ASL interpretation, are requested to inform the Committee as soon as possible, but no later than five business days before the hearing. The Committee will make every effort to fulfill timely requests; however, requests received fewer than five business days before the hearing may not be fulfilled and alternatives may be offered. For witnesses who are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be made part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee at cote@dccouncil.gov. Please indicate that you are submitting testimony for this hearing in the subject line of the e-mail. The record will close at the end of the business day on Thursday, March 29, 2023. 2