The Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Environmental Protection (DEP) officials recently spoke about the benefits of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), especially regarding electric vehicles (EV) and alternative fuel infrastructure.
BIL provides states with $7.5 billion to expand their EV charging networks. Pennsylvania will have access to $2.5 billion in discretionary grant funding opportunities for all alternative fueling infrastructure and $171.5 million in formula funds for EV charging infrastructure over five years.
PennDOT and DEP will follow U.S. Department of Transportation guidance and collaborate with key stakeholders on EV charging development.
Grants will be awarded for installing, operating, and maintaining EV charging equipment; electrifying school bus fleets; and EV battery manufacturing and recycling programs.
In accordance with the federal guidance, PennDOT will evaluate EV proposals that fall into five categories: making EVs more affordable; making EV charging more accessible; investments in fleet electrification; investments in traditionally underserved, low-income, persons of color and otherwise vulnerable population areas; and increasing EV awareness, education, and technical capacity.
In Pennsylvania, there are more than 23,000 EVs registered.
PennDOT also announced its EV Equity Guiding Principles to increase accessibility to EV charging infrastructure. It is aimed at other agencies and private industries as they plan and deploy the infrastructure.