House bill proposes $10M grant program for localities, utilities to aid electric vehicle charging station rollout

The Electric Vehicle Mobility Area Planning Act (H.R. 8807), introduced last week, could make it easier for utilities and localities to identify locations for new electric vehicle charging stations.

The $10 million proposal from U.S. Reps. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) and Michael Burgess (R-TX) is designed to keep rural districts and other overlooked areas on an even playing field with their urban neighbors, where most EV efforts have focused. The bill would help communities save money on transportation costs, reduce environmental impacts from tailpipe emissions, and provide both consumers and developers with data-driven, publicly-accessible info for better planning and investment decisions.

“Electric vehicles are a growing part of our nation’s auto fleet in the 21st century,” Burgess said. “Several auto manufacturers are already expanding their electric vehicle product lines. These innovative vehicles hold the promise to create many new manufacturing jobs here in the United States and answer consumer demands for lower overall energy costs while reducing auto emissions. The “EV MAP Act” addresses one of the most pressing issues EV owners have – range anxiety.”

It could also help provide manufacturing jobs in the process. For this and other reasons, the legislation has gained the support of several industry expert groups, such as the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and Edison Electric Institute (EEI), as well as climate-focused nonprofits.

“One potential challenge to broad rural consumer adoption of EVs is a clear understanding of when and where public charging stations will be needed,” Jim Matheson, CEO of NRECA, said. “This legislation will help alleviate that obstacle to EV deployment and help electric cooperatives make informed investments in charging infrastructure.”

Matheson’s sentiments were echoed by Brian Wolff, executive vice president of public policy and external affairs at EEI, who thanked the congressmen for aiding wider spread electric transportation.

“EEI’s member companies—America’s investor-owned electric companies—are leading a clean energy transformation by continuing to reduce carbon emissions in our sector and by helping other sectors transition to clean, efficient electric energy,” Wolff said. “Across the country, EEI’s members are partnering with communities and stakeholders to support transportation electrification and the growth of the EV charging infrastructure needed for passenger vehicles, as well as fleets of every kind.”