Alex Padilla U.S. Senator for California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler (both D-Calif.) announced that California was awarded $168.5 million for the deployment of publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative fueling infrastructure. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“As California leads the charge toward an electric-vehicle powered future, we must make sure EV charging and refueling stations are broadly accessible to drivers across the state,” said Senator Padilla. “That means investing in public charging sites across major corridors, urban neighborhoods, and rural and low-income communities. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re deploying more of the technology needed to make EVs accessible to all Californians.” 

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law continues to pay dividends for the people of California and usher in a clean energy future for the next generation,” said Senator Butler. “This investment in our state’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is a huge win for communities across the state fighting for a greener, sustainable tomorrow.”

Ten applicants across California received charging and fueling infrastructure grants, including:

• San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District: $56 million. This project includes the construction of two state-of-the-art truck charging sites in Taft and Gustine to support two of the nation’s busiest freight corridors.
• City of Blythe: $19.6 million. This project will develop a publicly accessible, multi-class, EV charging facility in Riverside County.
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District: $15 million. This project will create a more robust, accessible, and equitable electric vehicle charging network across nine counties in the San Francisco Bay area, with an emphasis on serving disadvantaged communities.
• San Joaquin County: $15 million. This project will significantly expand public charging infrastructure in disadvantaged communities and implement a robust community outreach and workforce development program.
• County of Contra Costa: $15 million. This project will expand and fill gaps in public electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the county, including in local public libraries, and serving rural, low-income and disadvantaged communities.
• City of Palmdale: $14.8 million. This project will install chargers within walking distance of affordable housing and resulting in higher expected utilization rates.
• County of Ventura: $12 million. This project includes the construction of charging centers and offgrid EV charging with solar battery storage while creating EV workforce development programs and promoting outreach to marginalized communities.
• Victor Valley Transit Authority: $12 million. This project will implement multiple clean energy transportation upgrades that serve disadvantaged communities.
• Cal State LA University Auxiliary Services, Inc.: $7.2 million. This project will transform the Cal State LA Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility into a high-capacity, multi-modal light- to heavy-duty vehicle hydrogen fueling station.
• City of Eureka: $1.9 million. This project will create new electric vehicle charging sites at strategic community hub locations and will expand the EV charging network by connecting rural Northern California and historically disadvantaged communities.

Additional information about the grants is available here.

Senator Padilla has consistently fought for emissions reductions in the transportation sector, including through the transition to widely accessible electric vehicles. Last year, Padilla, Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Representative Nanette Díaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) introduced the bicameral EVs for All Act, legislation that would increase access to EVs for residents of public housing across the nation. He and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10) previously sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to prioritize investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in clean charging and fueling projects to help reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality in the most impacted communities. Padilla also led a letter with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and 13 other Senators calling on the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service to finalize guidance for and maximize inclusive access to the 30C Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit.

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