More than two dozen national associations and labor unions have called on Congress to pass legislation that would institute a fee on electric vehicle users to fund the Highway Trust Fund.
In a Feb. 26 letter, the group, headed by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), endorsed legislation proposed earlier this month to introduce a national fee on EVs to bring parity between the alternative fuel vehicle drivers and traditional fossil fuel powered vehicle drivers. Introduced by U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NB) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), the legislation would enact a federal fee on EVs that would be directed to the Highway Trust Fund for maintenance and repair of federal roadways.
The groups said the legislation would level the playing fee for vehicle owners and ensure that EV owners pay their fair share.
“Investing in the nation’s infrastructure provides far-reaching economic benefits. Recent congressional support for roads, bridges and public transportation systems has helped deliver much-needed projects to every congressional district across the country,” the group said. “These outcomes are made possible by the continuity and predictability of funding supported by a healthy Highway Trust Fund (HTF)… However, improvements to vehicle efficiency and the influx of hybrid and electric vehicles have resulted in a system where all users of the system are not treated fairly. Instead, some users pay for the maintenance of the system, while other users pay less or nothing at all. At the same time, user fee revenue has not met system needs.”
The group asked Congress to pass Fischer and Johnson’s legislation and to oppose any measures that would take money away from the HTF. Proposals to reduce or eliminate HTF revenues, the group said, would exacerbate the challenges facing surface transportation programs.
Other groups joining ARTBA included the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Public Transportation Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the Design-Build Institute of America, the Association of American Railroads, the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, the Laborers International Union of North America and the National Utility Contractors Association, among others.