Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments in Electric Vehicle Charging

As the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) continues developing its plans for electric-vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure investments from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the public is encouraged to learn about planning and funding for electric vehicle infrastructure, as well as submit questions during a webinar on Wednesday, April 27.

The webinar with PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian as well as PennDOT and state Department of Environmental Protection officials will be livestreamed from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The public can register on the department’s EV web page under “National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.” The public can also register or submit feedback by emailing ra-pdevcorridors@pa.gov.

The webinar will build on outreach the department is conducting with lawmakers, planning partners, utilities, local government organizations, EV charging companies, and stakeholders with equity, labor, education, and environmental expertise. Additional public feedback will be gathered on the draft plan in June.

As part of the BIL’s nationwide investment in growing the EV charging network, over five years PennDOT will receive and distribute $171.5 million in formula funds for EV charging infrastructure. The department must outline and submit its plans to invest these funds to the U.S. Department of Transportation by August 1, 2022.

The funding supports the commonwealth goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) (list) and Interstate lookalikes. Federal AFC criteria was updated earlier this year to require AFC designated corridors to have charging stations no more than 1 mile from an Interstate exit or highway intersection (previously 5 miles) and no more than 50 miles apart. The department has been reviewing all corridors to align all AFCs with the new criteria.

Pennsylvania has over 1,700 miles of AFCs. Per the guidance from USDOT, any EV charging infrastructure installed with NEVI formula funds shall be located along a designated AFC and meet U.S. DOT minimum standards and requirements. Should PennDOT determine, and U.S. DOT certifies, that the AFCs are fully built out, then Pennsylvania may use funds to build EV charging equipment on any public road or in any publicly accessible location, including but not limited to parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and parks.

Additionally, PennDOT – following guidance issued from U.S. DOT – will use its EV Equity Guiding Principles announced this year to help the department evaluate EV proposals in accordance with the federal guidance. The principles aim to increase accessibility to the infrastructure and maximize benefits for all Pennsylvanians and fall into five categories:

• Make EVs more affordable;
• Make EV charging more accessible;
• Invest in fleet electrification;
• Invest in traditionally underserved, low-income, persons of color and otherwise vulnerable population areas; and
• Increase EV awareness, education, and technical capacity.

The commonwealth’s previous work and the new funding will support growing EV usage and industry transitions. There are more than 23,000 EVs registered in Pennsylvania, more than double the roughly 9,700 that were registered in March 2019. To enhance traveler information for the growing number of EV drivers, the state’s traveler information system – 511PA – now also includes EV charging station locations as an option on its traffic map. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the map shows locations across the state by connector type, including CCS, J1772, CHAdeMO, Tesla, and NEMA.

More information on PennDOT’s Alternative Fuel Corridors can be found on the department’s website. 

More information on Electric Vehicles in PA, including details on the DEP Alternative Fuel Rebate that provides higher rebates on the purchase of new or used EVs to income-eligible Pennsylvanians, can be found on DEP’s website.