Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $635 Million for Electric Vehicle Charging

EV Charging Grants Part of Larger $5 Billion Investment in Clean Transportation

January 10, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, as part of a massive $5 billionannounced in Department of Transportation (DOT) grants for over 500 transportation projects across the country, the Biden-Harris Administration announced$635 million to build more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.

This represents a second distribution of grant funding through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.

The Department of Transportation charging grantswill support infrastructure across 27 states, four Tribal nations, and the District of Columbia, including seven fast-charging hubs along major highway corridors. These timely awards will benefit communities, supporting current EV drivers and continued electrification of large fleet and freight vehicles.

The awards support the Administration's Justice40 Initiative, which aims for 40 percent of the overall benefits of federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities, with over half of the funding going to sites located in disadvantaged communities.

In response to today's announcement, Jesse Piedfort, deputy director of the Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All campaign, released the following statement:

"We applaud the Biden Administration's holistic commitment to electrifying transportation and prioritizing reliable EV charging for more Americans, with specific investments in disadvantaged communities. Chargers for heavy-duty vehicles are urgently needed to shift away from health-threatening diesel freight trucks and deliver cleaner air to our communities. With a more expansive charger network for cars and trucks, we will all collectively benefit from the transition to clean vehicles and everything it offers - less fueling costs, more good-paying jobs, and reduced climate-disrupting emissions."

Background (the "Big Deal"): In addition to funding EV charging, the nearly $5 billion DOT announced todaywill modernize and improve our rail system; improve road safety for pedestrians and bicyclists; reconnect communities that were harmed by past transportation infrastructure decisions like highways, and more.

The priority programs funded through President Biden's IIJA include the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, the Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program, the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program, the Airport Infrastructure Grants Program, the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (Rural), and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program.

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

transportation, electric vehicles