State Transportation And Energy Office Groups Awarded Funds For EV Collaboration

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
July 21, 2022

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced on July 20 a $1.5 million award to the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) that will foster collaboration in the development and deployment of a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network.   

“The partnership will convene stakeholders across local, state, and federal government to ensure that EV charging station infrastructure investments are made in a strategic, coordinated, efficient, and equitable manner with public and private-sector partners,” the Department of Energy said.

Key focus areas of the award include: 

• Facilitating peer exchange and regional dialogues to build capacity, lift up best practices, and ensure coordination across a national EV charging network that also reflects local needs.    
• Identifying and providing data, technical, and programmatic assistance needs to develop, implement, and refine state EV charging plans.  
• Enhancing communication between state and federal agencies to enable effective, coordinated and timely EV charging planning and implementation. 

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation was created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to facilitate collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

NASEO is comprised senior officials from the 56 State and Territory Energy Offices, as well as affiliates from the private and public sectors.

AASHTO represents the highway and transportation departments in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The joint office recently announced a partnership to support EV charging with APPA, Edison Electric Institute, and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to inform electric system investments and support state planning.