Six months after the new administration froze $5 billion in federal funding for states to build electric vehicle charging stations, the U.S. Department of Transportation has rolled out new guidance for how those funds will be spent. The revised guidance for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is effective immediately while FHWA seeks comment on what further changes may be appropriate.
The updates to NEVI streamline applications, provide states with more flexibility, and slash red tape left by the previous administration. This will ensure charging stations are actually built, and federal funding is spent effectively and efficiently. “If Congress is requiring the federal government to support charging stations, let’s cut the waste and do it right,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
Some of the changes include:
- Minimize content in state plans to statutory and regulatory requirements
- Simplify the state plan approval process
- Aligns community engagement with regulatory requirements and reduces consultation requirements to advance projects.
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