$249M Investment in EV Charging for NJ, CT, DE, and MD

Major Federal Funding Award for Investments in Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Charging Infrastructure to Meet Emissions Reduction Goals.Photo byMorristown Minute

NJ and Three Other States Receive Funding to Support Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Charging on Interstate-95 Corridor

NEW JERSEY – July 22, 2024: The Biden-Harris Administration has announced over $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to support community-driven climate solutions, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate America's transition to clean energy. Among the recipients are New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, awarded $249 million for the Clean Corridor Coalition project. This initiative aims to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles along the Interstate-95 freight corridor and adjacent roadways.

“The steps we take today to lower emissions from heavy-duty vehicles along New Jersey’s transportation corridors will improve air quality in our communities while mitigating climate impacts well into the future,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

"Building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future isn't just the right thing to do for our planet -- it's also the right thing to do for our people," said Maryland Governor Moore. "This new federal investment will help us create jobs, cut emissions, and build new pathways to prosperity for all."

The New Jersey-led proposal will establish over 24 charging locations, featuring approximately 450 public charging ports. These installations are expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an estimated 19 million tons of CO2e by 2050.

The project is a collaborative effort involving the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Delaware Department of Transportation, and Maryland Departments of the Environment and Transportation. In addition to the infrastructure development, the Coalition will offer technical assistance for workforce development and corridor planning throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. This support will aid host sites in developing cost-effective charging infrastructure.

Significant community benefits are anticipated, particularly in mitigating diesel emissions in 456 low-income and disadvantaged communities. Of these, 259 are classified by the EPA as being at or above the 90th percentile of Traffic Proximity, according to the EJScreen mapping tool. The initiative will also foster job opportunities in communities neighboring the I-95 corridor.

“Connecticut’s freight corridor from New York to the Massachusetts border along I-95 to I-91 to I-84 is vital to our regional economy,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. “It also runs through the heart of many of our largest cities, where higher levels of diesel emissions contribute to higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, America’s clean energy transition is underway. This Clean Corridor will improve the health and quality of life for the families in these communities by reducing diesel pollution, fighting climate change, and keeping our economy running smoothly."

“Delaware is working to transition to a clean energy future to reduce pollution and take on climate change. Addressing transportation emissions, which is a major portion of the air pollution in Delaware, is a critical part of that effort,” said Delaware Governor John Carney. “These federal resources to make charging available to larger commercial vehicles traveling I-95 will help make the air cleaner for communities in Delaware."

Fossil-fueled freight vehicles, though constituting only 5 percent of vehicle-miles-traveled in the United States, are responsible for 20 percent of the transportation sector’s GHG emissions. Transitioning these vehicles to zero-emission alternatives is crucial for meeting state and national emissions reduction targets, as transportation is the largest source of climate pollution in the Coalition states. The current lack of public charging facilities for freight vehicles is a significant barrier that this funding aims to address.

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