CASPER, Wyo. — Wyoming has been allocated $24 million over five years to help add electric vehicle charging infrastructure along federally designated alternative fuel corridors.
Wyoming’s draft plan for use of the money is open for public comment, the Wyoming Department of Transportation announced Monday. The money for the EV infrastructure comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program.
Money must first go toward building out infrastructure along federally-designated alternative fuel corridors in the state that include Interstate 80, I-25 and I-90 under the federal NEVI program rules. Once those corridors or built out, any remaining money could go to adding infrastructure at other areas.
“This funding cannot be spent on roads or bridges, and no state funding will be used to install, operate or maintain the NEVI EV chargers,” WYDOT’s Monday press release said.
Wyoming is seeking an exemption from a federal requirement that EV stations be placed every 50 miles and within one mile of exits.
“These exemptions are based on feedback from public meetings in April, consideration of Wyoming’s rural routes and limited initial EV adoption rates, and system economic viability,” WYDOT said.
Wyoming’s plan aims to help support tourism, the state’s second largest industry.
“Wyoming seeks to use NEVI funding to facilitate travel to popular tourist destinations,” Luke Reiner, WYDOT director, said in the press release.
Exact locations for charging infrastructure will be determined through a request for proposal process but WYDOT provided some draft maps in its plan, including the following showing the overall layout WYDOT is recommending:
People wanting to submit public comment on the plan can either email dot-publicaffairs@wyo.gov or submit comment on the following webpage: https://webapp.dot.state.wy.us/ao/f?p=ContactWYDOT.
“Comments will be accepted until the end of the business day on July 27,” WYDOT said. “The plan will be edited as needed and submitted to the Federal Joint Office, comprised of the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Energy, for approval before the August 1 deadline. Once approved, the state will begin the request for proposal process for installation.”
