On November 15, 2021 President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Included in the IIJA is funding for two Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) programs: the Electric Vehicle Charging Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program. In response to a Federal Highway Administration request for information (RFI), Consumer Reports submitted feedback on the programs’ guidelines.
In its RFI submission, CR calls on FHWA to strategically deploy funding and leverage local, state and private investment to ensure that both programs result in affordable, reliable, equitable, and accessible infrastructure. The submission also highlights the importance of putting guidelines in place that account for the different needs of different communities, including disadvantaged ones. Additionally, CR urges FHWA to require substantive engagement with community stakeholders so that all Americans can benefit from these infrastructure investments.
Finally, Consumer Reports is advocating for programmatic guidelines that minimize impacts to the grid, ensure long term maintenance of charging stations, prioritize equity in payment options and maximize private capital investment wherever possible.