Monthly Reflection from Executive Director Klein
Summer is usually a time for reflection, vacation, and recharging. As we close out August and start September, I want to thank the entire Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) team, and all the hardworking people at the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, and across government who got nary a break this year as they worked tirelessly to decarbonize transportation on behalf of the American people. This is also the beginning of the end of the fiscal year (FY) for the federal government, so we are ramping up to end FY 2023 and kick off FY 2024 with a bang.
Our Electric Vehicle Working Group (EVWG) will hold its first meeting in September to discuss recommendations to the secretaries of Transportation and Energy as the country builds out an electric transportation infrastructure that benefits all Americans. More states have opened their requests for proposals (RFPs) for charging stations funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, including Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Kansas, among many others. The Joint Office and the Federal Highway Administration have received the majority of updated state electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure deployment plans for NEVI and we look forward to getting all remaining updates soon. The Joint Office continues to meet with EV charger manufacturers, operators, and automakers to focus on reliability, and the work with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International on the North American Charging Standard (NACS) and NACS/Combined Charging System (CCS) interoperability for charging stations is ongoing.
We are making great progress to build the clean transportation system we want in America. At the Joint Office, our team is pushing forward with the determination and combined ingenuity of a vast variety of private, public, and other stakeholders. I am confident that we will see the energy and transportation sectors transformed for the better for all Americans regardless of their location or means.
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Sincerely,
Gabe Klein
Executive Director
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Key Announcements and Happenings
The Joint Office wants to keep you informed on all new announcements and opportunities. Here is a recap of the latest activities:
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Electric Vehicle Working Group Announced
The Joint Office announced the members of the EVWG last month — a collection of EV industry experts and leaders who will help guide the widespread adoption of EVs across the country and solidify America’s position as a global leader of clean energy jobs and manufacturing. Learn more about the EVWG and meet the members!
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More States Announce Contracting Opportunities within NEVI
Pennsylvania, Maine, Colorado, and Vermont recently started preparations to construct the first tranche of NEVI-funded direct-current fast chargers (DCFC), joining Hawaii and Ohio. The following states have their RFPs open (deadlines in parentheses): Alaska, Georgia (Nov. 17), Kansas (Sept. 29), Kentucky (Aug. 24), Oklahoma (Sept. 15), Rhode Island, Tennessee (Nov. 1), Texas (Oct. 16), Utah (Sept. 28), and Virginia (Sept. 15).
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States Submit FY 2024 NEVI Plans
The FY 2024 deadline for states to submit their NEVI state plans was Aug. 24, 2023. Currently, the majority of states have submitted their plans to the Federal Highway Administration and the Joint Office for review. States will soon receive notice that their plans are approved after the completion of the review.
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The Inflation Reduction Act Celebrates Its First Anniversary
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, aims to build an economy that works for working families, combat the climate crisis, and reduce the deficit. It includes several clean-energy-focused programs, including credits to reduce the cost of buying a new and/or used EV. President Biden provided remarks to highlight the special occasion. Review President Biden’s remarks.
New Tools and Publications
The Joint Office published several new resources over the last month:
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New DriveElectric.gov Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Map
The Alternative Fueling Station Locator from the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center shows EV charging stations in the United States by charging level, access type, station status, and other key data points. A new map on DriveElectric.gov pre-filters this data to show progress toward meeting the President's goals of building a national network of 500,000 public EV charging stations by 2030.
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Joint Office General Fact Sheet
The Joint Office general fact sheet provides an overview of the office and its offerings. The sheet is a primer that can be shared with stakeholders who want to learn about the Joint Office and its purpose and responsibilities.
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Joint Office Community Engagement Tip Sheet
The community engagement tip sheet provides tips for conducting community engagement to support EV infrastructure planning and deployment. This tool and informative resource is designed for use in conjunction with other guidance to develop a comprehensive engagement strategy.
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Cybersecurity Program Language Clauses Released
The Joint Office announced the release of sample cybersecurity procurement language clauses that can be modified for use in RFPs and EV service provider contracts. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory helped the Joint Office develop the resource to ensure that cybersecurity risks are addressed when building out EV charging infrastructure. Read the cybersecurity clauses.
The Joint Office on the Road
The Joint Office team has been on the road sharing expertise and insight about building an equitable and accessible charging network. Here is where members of the team went in August:
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American Public Transportation Association’s Sustainability/Operations Planning and Scheduling Workshop
Debs Schrimmer, senior advisor for community and urban charging, attended the American Public Transportation Association Sustainability/Operations Planning and Scheduling Workshop. Schrimmer provided a keynote speech before a panel session on “Stepping up to the Challenges of Zero Emission Fleet Transition.” Schrimmer also conducted a listening session with about 50 transit agencies across the country, where she was able to hear concerns about transit charging and promote the Joint Office/National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Federal Transit Association Technical Assistance Concierge Program for transit agencies.
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National Governors Association’s Energy Policy Institute Meeting
Sejal Shah, senior advisor for electric utility programs and policies, attended the National Governors Association Energy Policy Institute meeting. Shah provided an overview of upcoming programs and deadlines for the Joint Office and participated in the “Federal Partners: Meet and Greet and Ask” session with state energy advisors from over 20 states.
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Energy Justice Roundtable with Edison Energy
Richard Ezike, program communications specialist, participated in a virtual roundtable titled “Accelerating Equity: Environmental Justice in the Transition to Fleet Electrification” with Edison Energy. Ezike talked about the Joint Office’s focus on environmental justice in EV charging and the overall challenges and opportunities to expand EV charging and EV adoption to those in disadvantaged and underserved communities.
Notable News Articles
Upcoming Webinars
The Joint Office will soon restart its regular webinar series after a summer hiatus. Topics on permitting and follow-ups on previous webinars on workforce development and site selection are being planned. If you have great ideas that you would like to be included in the webinar series, send us a message!
About the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
The Joint Office is a collaboration between the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation to support the buildout of a nationwide network of electric vehicle chargers, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and zero-emission transit and school buses. Learn more at DriveElectric.gov.
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