Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy program is helping our customers move toward a cleaner, more equitable electric vehicle future. We’re working with communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution and other harmful environmental burdens to identify a customized transportation electrification path.
These areas, called higher emissions communities (HECs), are eligible for enhanced transportation electrification incentives offered by Xcel Energy. HECs were identified through a methodology utilizing the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Climate Equity Framework and have the following attributes:
1. The location has an environmental burden that may be caused by transportation emissions and/or other environmental factors; and
2. One or more disproportionately impacted populations are present in the location. Characteristics of disproportionately impacted populations include:
- Income levels below defined thresholds
- People of color
- History of environmental racism (e.g., through redlining, anti-Indigenous, antiimmigrant, anti-Hispanic, or anti-Black laws)
- Multiple factors that combined create disproportionate impacts from environmental burdens
This regulatory filing document details the process that Xcel Energy used to identify the initial designation of HECs.
Exhaust from cars and trucks contributes to climate change, leads to asthma and other sickness, and results in avoidable health costs. The worst of these effects are often felt in income qualified communities and communities of color due to unfair housing practices. Transitioning to electric vehicles, including personal cars, rideshare, micromobility, and public transit, is a key component of improving air quality and creating a healthier community. And, by prioritizing planning efforts and resources in HECs, we can ensure that all communities benefit from the electric vehicle future.
Any community member or supporting agency in an HEC area can submit an interest form [link]. This includes:
- Neighborhood organizations
- Business associations
- Property owners
- Community-based organizations
- Local governments
Click here for a series identifying maps of currently approved HECs. Areas that have not already been identified as HECs can also be considered for designation to be included through a separate application process.