WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla has announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award $149.7 million for five California projects to build zero-emission vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure, including over $100 million for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.
“Decarbonizing the transportation and goods movement sectors is essential for fighting the climate crisis and protecting public health in communities along busy corridors,” Padilla said. “To successfully meet California’s critical climate goals, we need to scale up our charging and fueling infrastructure up and down the state through transformative projects like the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these investments will help slash vehicle emissions, create good-paying green jobs, and provide cleaner air for millions of Californians, including disadvantaged tribal and low-income communities.”
The funding comes through the Federal Highway Administration’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
According to a media release, the California Department of Transportation will receive $102.4 million for its West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project, which will deploy charging and hydrogen fueling stations for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along 2,500 miles of key freight corridors in California, Oregon and Washington. The project will enable the emissions-free movement of goods through major ports, freight centers, and agricultural regions along the West Coast. Padilla joined the Democratic members of the California congressional delegation last year in urging Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to support the project.
“The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program aims to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure projects in urban and rural communities in publicly accessible locations, including downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly in underserved and disadvantaged communities,” the release said.
Additional California recipients include:
- Fort Independence Indian Community — $15.1 million. The project will install a reliable, resilient and sustainable EV charging hub along the U.S. Route 395 corridor, a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor, and the only north-south passage along the Sierra Nevada range. The project’s aim is to contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging the use of EVs and powering the charging hub through a solar micro-grid with combined heat and power generation and battery backup.
- The County of Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — $15 million. The project will develop a comprehensive network of publicly accessible, community-based EV charging infrastructure consisting of 18 DC Fast Chargers and 1,263 Level 2 chargers across 15 community facilities, four park and ride multi-modal transportation hubs, and 1,000 curbside light poles, while creating 3,000 high-quality jobs.
- San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District — $14.1 million. The project will install Level 2 EV charging ports at all BART-managed parking facilities for use by customers and community members. By installing chargers at BART stations that are close to multifamily housing, workplaces, medical facilities, schools, and retail, the project’s goal is to support robust EV adoption across a wide range of socioeconomic groups and road users, prioritizing deployment at stations in or near disadvantaged communities.
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians — $3.2 million. The project will install 70 EV charging stations to increase EV charging infrastructure in the Reservation and along U.S. Route 50, a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor in El Dorado County. The project’s purpose is to support economic development on tribal lands by attracting travelers to tribal amenities on a heavily trafficked tourist route.
According to the release, Senator Padilla has consistently fought for emissions reductions across the transportation and freight sectors. Earlier this year, Padilla successfully pushed the Administration to launch a National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy to guide the national deployment of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty freight transportation vehicle (ZE-MHDV) charging and fueling infrastructure, which followed his efforts to call on the Joint Office to prioritize the deployment of ZE-MHDV as part of its core mission.
Additionally, Padilla applauded the EPA’s release of the strongest national greenhouse gas standards in history for HDV emissions to begin in model year 2027, following a series of efforts he led. He also supported the Biden-Harris Administration’s announcement of the first-ever national goal to transition to a zero-emissions freight sector for the truck, rail, aviation, and marine industries, along with a commitment to develop a national zero-emissions freight strategy. Last month, Padilla announced nearly $500 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which will help decarbonize the transportation and freight sectors and improve air quality for Southern California residents.
“Padilla previously announced $168.5 million in funding from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program for the deployment of publicly accessible EV charging and alternative fueling infrastructure,” the release said. “Last year, Padilla, Senator Cory Booker, and Representative Nanette Díaz Barragán introduced the bicameral EVs for All Act, legislation that would increase access to EVs for residents of public housing across the nation. He and Representative Mark DeSaulnier also previously sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to prioritize investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in clean charging and fueling projects to help reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality in the most impacted communities.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
