Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announce that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has approved the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Deployment Plan and will allocate approximately $73 million in federal funding to Louisiana over the next five years.
This plan, which was submitted on Aug. 1, 2022, to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, outlines the intent to administer federal funds through a grant program currently under development. The grant program will fund up to 80 percent of EV charging infrastructure with a minimum 20 percent match by grant recipients.
“This funding will help Louisiana meet our Climate Action Plan goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Gov. Edwards. “It will also ensure that we’re ready to prosper in a changing economy, where even big oil and gas companies are embracing clean energy. I would like to thank President Biden, Senator Bill Cassidy, and Representative Troy Carter for their hard work getting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed. My administration is ready to put this federal funding to work to improve the lives of the people of our state.”
“These funds will allow the state to move forward and provide additional fueling infrastructure to the ever-changing transportation industry,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. “Louisiana’s EV charging network is relatively low compared to our neighboring states, and we must be able to accommodate the growing shift in the way people travel. Creating a more sustainable and cleaner environment is of the utmost importance, and one way of accommodating this is by having more charging stations and allowing them to be affordable to the everyday motorist.”
DOTD will begin accepting grant applications in early 2023 for recipients to own, install, and operate EV charging stations that meet federal requirements. Recipients are anticipated to be selected, and funds dispersed, by summer 2023.
EV funding is being administered through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which stemmed from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by Congress in 2021, allocating approximately $73 million to Louisiana over the next five years for EV charging infrastructure.
The department is planning future outreach activities and virtual meetings to solicit feedback. For additional information, contact DOTD-EVProgram@la.gov.
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