Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions  -  September 4, 2024

Oregon Cities Receive Funding for 500  EV Chargers 

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the City of Tualatin and area partners in Oregon will receive $15 million to bring publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure to the region as part of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program).

These funds will be used to install up to 500 publicly accessible level 2 networked EV chargers at approximately 125 unique sites across 17 different cities. 

While no decisions have been made yet on how this money will be allocated to each jurisdiction, City of Portland staff is currently considering options for future level 2 EV chargers, informed by ongoing engagement with community partners.

Staff with Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) partnered with several Oregon cities and Forth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the equitable advancement of clean transportation. Cities joining this effort include Beaverton, Forest Grove, Gresham, Hillsboro, King City, Lake Oswego, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Newberg, Oregon City, Salem, Sherwood, Tigard, Woodburn and Wood Village.

“This grant will help Portland and other local cities make significant strides on climate goals and support equitable access to EV infrastructure for all of our communities,” said BPS Interim Director Eric Engstrom in a statement.

Portland General Electric also committed to $200,000 in funding from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program to provide a matching grant supporting education and outreach activities.

The CFI Program was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure projects.