(File Photo)
(WASHINGTON, DC) – The U.S. Department of Transportation and Department of Energy announced today that nearly $5 billion will be made available under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to build out a national electric vehicle charging network. This is an important step towards making electric vehicle (EV) charging accessible to all Americans. Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) announced that Pennsylvania is eligible to receive up to $25 million in the first funding phase for Fiscal Year 2022. Lamb supported this program’s inclusion in the infrastructure package.
“This is great news for the environment and for union jobs,” said Lamb. “This $25 billion federal investment will jump start the work to build the electric vehicle transportation technology and infrastructure for our state and our region.”
“Conor Lamb has been fighting in Washington to create good jobs for our members,” said Thomas R. McIntyre, Business Manager, IBEW Local Union No. 5. “We’re already training the men and women who are going to build this network of electric vehicle charging stations here in western Pennsylvania. The federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Conor helped to pass will ensure that work gets done.”
The program will provide nearly $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, particularly along the Interstate Highway System. States must submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before they can access these funds. Lamb’s bipartisan Grid Modernization Research and Development Act was passed in the Energy Act of 2020, which was signed into law in December of 2020. This authorized a research and demonstration program at the Department of Energy to integrate electric vehicles onto the electric grid, improving its resilience and facilitating EV deployment.
Earlier this week, the White House detailed actions taken to date to prepare for this historic EV investment and increase in manufacturing, including the creation of a new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The Joint Office will play a key role in the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program, by providing direct technical assistance and support to help states develop their plans before they are reviewed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration, which administers the funding.
Click here for more details on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver for Pennsylvania.