The US Department of Transportation has unveiled revised guidance for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. At the moment, it appears that some or all of the NEVI Formula projects in the pipeline can proceed.
The NEVI Formula Program, established as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, provided $5 billion in funding that states could use to build EV charging infrastructure if certain conditions were met. In February, the DOT suspended the NEVI Formula Program, and rescinded prior approval of states’ spending plans. In June, a federal judge temporarily blocked the US administration from withholding funds awarded to 14 states.
Now the administration has announced “updates [that] streamline applications, provide states with more flexibility, and slash red tape.”
As the DOT explains, among other updates, the new policy simplifies the state plan approval process, gives state flexibility to determine the appropriate distances between charging stations, minimizes requirements for states to consider electric grid integration and renewable energy, and eliminates requirements for states to address consumer protections, emergency evacuation plans, environmental siting, resilience and terrain considerations.
Under the Interim Final Guidance, states should submit their EV Infrastructure Deployment Plans within 30 days of the effective date.
“While I don’t agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress’s will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently,” said Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
Source: US Department of Transportation