Leger Fernández, Stansbury Announce $5.6 Million In Electric Vehicle Funds Under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (N.M.-03) and Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) announced that New Mexico will receive over $5.6 million this year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along key roads and highways.
Passed by Reps. Stansbury and Leger Fernández, along with other House Democrats, and signed into law by President Biden, these investments will create good-paying jobs to improve EV charger access for New Mexico drivers, help protect New Mexico’s environment, and support American car manufacturers’ rapidly-growing EV production.
“The Infrastructure Law provides resources to address the climate crisis, expand sustainable transportation opportunities, and create good-paying jobs for Nuevo Mexicanos,” said Rep. Leger Fernández. “Today's historic investment will help put more electric vehicles on the road, save Nuevo Mexicanos money at the pump, improve air quality for our children and neighbors, and reduce tailpipe pollution that contributes to climate change.”
“To reach our climate goals in transportation, we must get more electric vehicles on the road,” said Rep. Stansbury. “I’m proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making historic investments in a nationwide electric vehicle charging network to link our rural communities, address the climate crisis, save our drivers money, and secure a more sustainable future for generations to come.”
The United States’ network of 100,000 chargers is currently insufficient for the growing number of electric vehicles across the country. Currently, owners struggle with inconsistent plug types, payment options, and data availability. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing in good-paying union jobs to address these shortcomings, advancing President Biden’s goal to expand the U.S. network to 500,000 chargers and grow electric vehicles sales to 50 percent of the automobile market by 2030. Growing a national EV charging network is critical to achieving President Biden’s climate agenda of halving U.S. carbon emissions by 2030.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), announced yesterday that the funds from the Infrastructure Law will put New Mexicans to work building a convenient network of chargers across the state, making electric vehicles more accessible for both local and long-distance trips.
In total, the FHWA is delivering nearly $5 billion in formula funding over the next five years to expand charging access across the country, with New Mexico guaranteed at least $38 million in formula funding.