Three Texas electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects will receive a combined $100 million to add to the state’s capacity of public EV charging stations. The federal network boost is part of $623 million infrastructure investment to support a federal goal of supplying 500,000 chargers to the public by 2030.
The grants are sourced by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program. The competitive funding program will build 7,500 EV charging ports and fund 47 EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) is awarding $311 million to 36 projects supporting EV charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in urban and rural communities, including two Tribes in Alaska and Arizona. Those infrastructure upgrades will appear in high-use locations, including schools, parks, libraries and multi-family housing. Another 11 projects receiving a combined $312 million will target projects located along roadways designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors.
Construction of the EV chargers supported by CFI funds must meet the same minimum standards by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI program. As part of that requirement, chargers must be made in America and installed and maintained in alignment with strong workforce standards.
The FHA will direct $70 million to the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to support the creation of a hydrogen-fueled corridor stretching from Texas to California. Plans call for building up to five hydrogen fueling stations for medium- and heavy-duty freight trucks in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
“We are thrilled that the Federal Highway Administration has acknowledged the merits of these projects,” said Lori Clark, senior program manager, NCTCOG and director of DFW Clean Cities Coalition said in a press release. “With the Dallas-Fort Worth area in nonattainment for ozone, it is important to provide options for both residents and the freight industry to become part of the clean air solution,” she said.
Separately, NCTCOG will also receive $15 million to support installing up to 100 public EV charging stations throughout North Texas.
El Paso’s EV infrastructure will also receive a $15 million federal boost to support an $18.75 million project to install over 74 EV charging stations at public locations, including two in Fort Bliss, four at the port of entries and several with proximity to retail, residential and community centers.
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. can provide information on contract opportunities, plus existing and future government funding. For more information, contact research@spartnerships.com.
Photo courtesy of Sophie Jonas on Unsplash.
The post Texas gets $100 million federal jolt to expand EV charging network appeared first on Government Market News.