CARMEL – Two 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E’s are headed to the Town of Carmel for use by the town police and building departments thanks to grant funding secured by Putnam County State Senator Peter Harckham.
The $100,000 stipend used to purchase the vehicles originated from $2.1 million in grant funding available to local municipalities for electrification projects.
The CREST (Community, Resiliency, Economic Sustainability and Technology) funding was lauded by Harckham. “There are many compelling reasons to support the electrification of our local economies, including the severe effects of climate change we are now experiencing, public health problems related to air pollution and the simple fact that fossil fuel combustion is not a cost-effective way to heat and cool our buildings and power our vehicles,” the senator said. “In order to meet the carbon-free, reduced greenhouse gas emissions goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, we need to partner with our municipalities right now to help them participate in this energy transition, and that’s what this grant funding will do.”
Carmel Supervisor Mike Cazzari in addition to the electric vehicles, “we plan to add solar panels on the roof of Town Hall and install four new charging stations throughout the town.”
Carmel Police Chief Anthony Hoffmann said the vehicle assigned to his department will be used as a detective or administrative vehicle, “to test its capabilities without subjecting it to the rigors of everyday patrol.
The town engineer will use theirs as a response vehicle for inspections or incidents at critical infrastructure such as water and sewer districts, and other areas when town dams need inspection such as after the recent earthquake.
