2023 is the year to fund your Electric Vehicle (EV) recharging infrastructure. The US Department of Transportation plans to release its Community Charging and Refueling Infrastructure Grant this winter. The EPA and Department of Energy also expect to offer EV charging installation grants in 2023. And, the Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits municipalities can use.
Is your community prepared for these opportunities? Develop an alternative fuel vehicle refueling properties location plan (a.k.a. EV charging plan) now. Two helpful resources are the Drive Electric Vermont Charging Installation Guide and the US Department of Transportation’s Rural EV Toolkit. Don't forget to consider school districts, transit agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, the State, and other stakeholders to see if they have plans. Knowing where others have and/or propose to site public and private charging stations allows the municipality to fill gaps. Start by checking to see where charging stations already exist in Vermont and plan from there. Also, don't forget to check your municipality's zoning bylaws to ensure they are EV charging friendly. The Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development provides some helpful tips for bylaw updates in its Local Electric Vehicle Charging Station Regulation - A Welcoming Approach to Electric Vehicle Plug-In Technology.