The federal government is providing significant assistance to Oregon, California, and Washington in advancing the shipment of commodities by zero-emission vehicles on Interstate 5.
According to a news release issued by Oregon’s congressional delegation on Tuesday, the US Department of Transportation will provide the three states with $102 million to build a network of charging and fueling stations to power battery and hydrogen-fuel cell semi-trucks. Oregon will receive an additional $17 million in federal money to develop two small-scale electric vehicle charging networks for regular cars.
Last year, officials from Oregon, Washington, and California’s transportation agencies proposed a West Coast zero-emission truck fueling corridor on I-5 to the United States Department of Transportation. They recommended using federal funds to construct at least 34 medium and heavy-duty electric car charging stations and five hydrogen fuelling stations, especially along 1,400 miles of I-5 5, which connects highways to key freight centers in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle.
It is unclear how much of the $102 million would be allocated to Oregon, or how many vehicle chargers or hydrogen filling stations the state will be able to acquire. Matt Noble, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Transportation, stated that the department is awaiting such specifics from the federal government.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, medium and heavy-duty vehicles account for roughly 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. According to the state Department of Environmental Quality, transportation, including freight shipments, is Oregon’s single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Local projects getting additional grant funds include a network of automobile charging stations in the Willamette Valley’s central and northern regions.
The city of Albany will receive approximately $1.9 million to install EV chargers in four locations: its historic downtown area, a park-and-ride lot connected to the city’s bus system, a commercial area near I-5 and Oregon 99 East, and a city-owned parking lot serving the still dormant Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Center off of I-5.
Another $15 million will be allocated to the Neighbors Charging Up program, or TANC-UP, to provide EV chargers to towns in the northern Willamette Valley. TANC-UP is a coalition led by Tualatin and comprised of 16 surrounding cities, including Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, King City, and Lake Oswego.
The group aims to build 1,000 EV charging points in the area, with a focus on low- and middle-income districts, as well as multi-family homes and apartments. Chargers will also be put in libraries, parks, and community centers.