Reading, Pennsylvania is seeking to revitalize its economy by investing in electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The city has a multimillion-dollar plan to install dozens of charging stations, hoping to attract more workers and visitors, and potentially a younger generation of residents. The city is seeking federal money provided by the massive infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021, which allocates billions of dollars to build a nationwide network of plug-in EV chargers. The law not only provides funding for roads and bridges but also focuses on key climate priorities for the Biden administration.
Reading recently exited a state oversight program for financially distressed cities after nearly 13 years, and seeking federal and state funding for a variety of projects is key to helping it rebuild. The EV charger plan is part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the city. The city officials applied for a new grant known as the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure program, which will provide $2.5 billion over the next five years to local governments. The city expects to receive at least $2.6 million from the grant program to help install more than 30 public EV chargers.
EVs made up just 5.8% of new car sales last year, according to Kelley Blue Book. In addition to being expensive, it’s not always easy for drivers to find a charging station when they need one. There are currently only about 63,000 EV chargers publicly available in the US. Tesla has an extensive nationwide network, including a handful at a hotel in Reading, but those chargers are currently only compatible with Tesla vehicles.
Mayor Eddie Moran argues Reading’s proposed EV charger plan is an “encouragement” for people to buy EVs. The Inflation Reduction Act, a sweeping federal climate and healthcare law passed last year, revamped a federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 for consumers who purchase certain vehicles. The Biden administration has also proposed ambitious new car pollution rules that could require EVs to account for up to two-thirds of new cars sold in the US by 2032.
The city plans to install charging stations at seven locations, including the unique landmark, a seven-story pagoda atop Mount Penn that overlooks the city. Reading has asked for nearly $2.6 million from the federal grant program to help install more than 30 public EV chargers and expects to find out later this year whether it will receive the grant money. The city will be on the hook for covering at least 20% of the project, but it can use other grants and in-kind contributions, such as land value and city workers’ salaries, to make up that amount.
Whenever a massive federal spending law is enacted, there’s concern over whether the money will go out fairly, reaching small towns, rural areas, and urban metropolises alike. While there may be plenty of money to go around, smaller cities may lack the staffing needed to prepare and submit applications. The infrastructure law offers nearly 400 different funding programs. For Reading, a boot camp offered by the Local Infrastructure Hub – which helps cities access the funds provided by the federal infrastructure law – was invaluable.
The Local Infrastructure Hub is sponsored by a variety of groups, including Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Kresge Foundation, as well as the National League of Cities and the US Conference of Mayors, among others. “Working with already more than 950 municipalities across the US, we’re placing a concentrated focus on America’s traditionally underserved areas who each have ambitious dreams, but need the expertise, resources, and network the Hub offers to put forward competitive applications,” said James Anderson, who leads the government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Reading expects chargers at city hall and the public works department to be the first ones up and running, operable in late 2024. The EV chargers could help the city reach its sustainability goals, reduce annual fuel costs of city-owned vehicles, and create a safer, healthier, ecofriendly community. The grant would be “instrumental in us starting and leading the City of Reading and the County of Berks to a safer, healthier, ecofriendly community,” the application reads.
An electric vehicle revolution could be on the horizon, but there are reasons to be skeptical. However, Reading’s proposed EV charger plan is part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the city. The city officials are seeking federal money provided by the massive infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021, which allocates billions of dollars to build a nationwide network of plug-in EV chargers. The law not only provides funding for roads and bridges but also focuses on key climate priorities for the Biden administration. The city expects to receive at least $2.6 million from the grant program to help install more than 30 public EV chargers.
Original Story at www.cnn.com – 2023-06-17 14:09:00