Three metro regions in Arkansas are offering nearly 6,000 vouchers for new e-bikes. The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, the City of Fort Smith and Metroplan in central Arkansas were awarded $100 million by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of its Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program.
Tim Conklin is the executive director of the NWARPC. He says the three regions agreed to Northwest Arkansas receiving about half of those vouchers.
"We have around 2,900 vouchers that will be distributed," Conklin says.
The program will provide vouchers to applicants through a randomized selection process. The application portal opens at 9 a.m. on July 6, with the first drawing taking place on July 21.
Conklin says there are two levels of vouchers: a general resident voucher for anyone 18 and older for $700, and an income-qualified resident voucher worth up to $1,200.
"Those are for people who live in a household with an income less or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level," he says. "They are eligible for that $1,200 voucher."
The vouchers can be redeemed at participating retailers in person, and the bikes must be fully assembled.
"We want to make sure that the bikes that are being purchased with the point-of-sale voucher are from actual bike shops that can actually put the bikes together and make sure they're working properly," Conklin says.
More details about resident eligibility, which e-bikes qualify and more are available at nwarpc.org. Conklin says a list of participating retailers will also be on the website in early July.
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