The federal government announced that an additional $2.5 billion has been earmarked to finance the construction of electric vehicle charging stations across the country. The money, which will be distributed through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, will be doled out over the next five years and distributed to states and local communities.
Louisiana Illuminator reported:
The grant funding will be evenly split between designated alternative-fuel corridors and public facilities like parking lots, schools and parks.
“With today’s announcement, we are taking another big step forward in creating an EV future that is convenient, affordable, reliable, and accessible to all Americans,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a written statement.
Applications for the first two years of funding, which will include $700 million in grants, opened Tuesday and are due by May 30.
Each state will also receive a share of a separate $1.5 billion fund the federal government made available for charging stations last year. Each state developed a plan for building an electric vehicle charging network. The Federal Highway Administration, the Transportation Department agency that administers federal highway funding to states, approved each state plan last year.