Rep. Barbara Lee Announces $56 million In Electric Vehicle Funds for California Highways Under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13) announced that California will receive over $56 million this year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along key roads and highways. Passed by the Democratic Congress and signed into law by President Biden, these investments will create good-paying jobs to improve charger access for California drivers, help protect California’s environment and support American car manufacturers’ rapidly-growing EV production.
“Our transportation infrastructure is in desperate need of modernization to meet the moment we’re facing in the battle against the climate crisis. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will do just that for Californians,” said Congresswoman Lee. “For too long, unreliable and inconsistent charging facilities have plagued California’s roads and highways, hampering drivers and our economy. These overdue investments will strengthen our state’s critical infrastructure — paving the way for cleaner, easier driving and supporting good-paying union jobs.
“I was a proud supporter of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m pleased 56 million will be invested in California’s continued leadership in the electric vehicle space, and I remain committed to working with our state and local leaders to ensure that these funds are swiftly deployed to where our drivers need them most.”
The United States’ network of 100,000 chargers is currently insufficient to service the growing number of EV owners — and also struggles with inconsistent plug types, payment options and data availability. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing in good-paying union jobs to address these shortcomings, advancing President Biden’s goal to expand the U.S. network to 500,000 chargers and grow electric vehicles sales to 50 percent of the automobile market by 2030.
Distributed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, the funds announced today will put Californians to work building a convenient and equitable network of chargers across the state, making electric vehicles more accessible for both local and long-distance trips. In total, the FHWA is delivering nearly $5 billion in formula funding over the next five years to expand charging access across the country.
For a full list of state funding, click here.
# # #