ICYMI: VIDEO: Senator Murray Highlights How Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Invest in Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles, Climate Resilience, and More – MORE HERE
Senator Murray: “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to help us build electric vehicle charging stations in every part of Washington state”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced more than $10.4 million in funding for Washington state from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to build out a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network, an important step towards making EV charging accessible to all Americans.
This initial investment of $10.4 million is just the first of five years of funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will provide nearly $5 billion nationally over the five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, particularly along the Interstate Highway System.
Washington state must submit an EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan before it can access these funds. A second, competitive grant program designed to further increase EV charging access in locations throughout the country, including in rural and underserved communities, will be announced later this year. Washington state can also apply for more EV charging funds through this program.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is going to help us build electric vehicle charging stations in every part of Washington state,” said Senator Patty Murray. “It’s going to modernize our roads for drivers from Bellingham to Walla Walla so that everyone can drive electric without hassle and create jobs everywhere in Washington state, while helping ensure America leads on clean energy. We know that the future of the auto industry is electric, and this is about making sure America is at the forefront of that future. This funding is just the beginning, and I’m going to keep working to make it easier for everyone in Washington state to drive electric.”
This charging network will provide a convenient, reliable, affordable and equitable charging experience, with a focus on serving national highway corridors, rural areas, and underserved communities. It will also accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, fight the climate crisis, and support domestic manufacturing jobs.
Today’s news follows President Biden’s announcement earlier this week on EV manufacturing, and the White House Fact Sheet on actions taken to date to prepare for this historic EV investment. In the year since Democrats took back control of the Senate, the economy added 367,000 manufacturing jobs – the most in nearly 30 years. The U.S. economy grew at the fastest pace in nearly 40 years in 2021, and manufacturing as a share of U.S. GDP has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Manufacturing activity has seen a significant expansion every month that President Biden has been in office, consistently above pre-pandemic levels.
Notably, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also includes Senator Murray’s Clean School Bus Act, which provides federal grants to help transition the nation’s diesel school buses to zero emission, electric buses. The bipartisan package will allocate $5 billion towards zero emission and clean buses, and thanks to Senator Murray, funds will be prioritized for communities where air pollution is greatest. Washington state is also set to receive at least $4.7 billion in highway funding, $605 million for bridge replacement and repairs, and $1.79 billion for public transportation, through formula based grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law alone.
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