The New York State Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, recently launched a website to provide information about the state-level impact of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure or NEVI formula program unveiled in February.
[Above photo by NYSDOT]
The new website provides additional background on the NEVI program, which will allocate $5 billion to states through formula funds over the next five years to build out EV charging infrastructure.
The New York NEVI website also includes a short survey to collect user feedback in order to assist the state in the development of its EV infrastructure plans. The website also allows visitors to sign up for alerts as more information on the development of the NEVI program becomes available.
“Expanding our electrical vehicle capabilities is a key part of my administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce the impact of climate change across New York State,” noted Governor Kathy Hochul (D) in a statement.
“This new online tool will not only help educate the public on the future of electric vehicle charging, but will give us additional data to plan the next phase of New York’s transportation electric charging network development,” she said.
“A strategic plan for the continued development of EV infrastructure is paramount to achieving an environmentally sound and reliable transportation system across New York State,” added NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.
The NEVI program “gives us a great framework to collect data which we can use to inform where we need to increase the number of fast-charging stations along our roads, so we can continue to invest in GHG [greenhouse gas] reduction and build our way towards a greener economy,” she explained.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently helped establish a free repository of information on electric vehicles available to state agencies. Called the “EV States Clearinghouse,” it contains a variety of documents such as sample requests for proposals or RFPs, sample contracts, EV infrastructure siting and assessment tools, plus other resources.
AASHTO helped develop this EV resource in partnership with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), ICF, and Atlas Public Policy, with the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory providing support for this initiative.
That support partially stems from a memorandum of understanding or MOU that AASHTO, NASEO, USDOT, and DOE signed on February 23 to coordinate nationwide investment in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure.
“Many state departments of transportation have found success in their own EV charging infrastructure programs and know first-hand that collaboration between state energy offices and other agencies is instrumental to success,” noted Jim Tymon, AASHTO’s executive director, regarding that MOU.
“This is a massive undertaking and this partnership will ensure all stakeholders are on the same page when it comes to challenges, concerns, best practices, and lessons learned,” he said.