Oregon's plans to install several dozen electric-vehicle charging stations along its highways were once again full-speed ahead after overcoming legal and administrative obstacles to re-secure federal funding, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Originally granted by Congress in 2021, more than $40 million in funding for the charging stations was brought into doubt earlier this year amid changing policies at the federal level.
However, following a court victory in June and overcoming several other administrative hurdles, the funding was restored, according to OPB.
"There was a lot of speculation about what the status was going to be and whether Oregon was going to be able to secure the funds," said Brett Howell, transportation electrification coordinator for the Oregon Department of Transportation, per OPB.
"At the end of the day now for us, we do have that funding available to us," he continued. "It is secure. We're going to be moving forward with this."
Oregon has planned to build roughly 60 public charging stations, with each station including a minimum of four vehicle chargers. The DC chargers would be capable of charging a typical EV to 80% capacity in 20 minutes, according to OPB.
The charging stations were slated to be built along busy traffic corridors, including U.S. Highway 20, U.S. Highway 26, U.S. Highway 101, and Interstate 84, OPB reported.
The program will help bring EV charging stations to Eastern Oregon, which contains much of the state's roadways but has fallen behind in terms of charger access.
Building out vehicle-charging infrastructure is an essential component of transitioning society away from gas-powered cars and toward less-polluting EVs. Greater access to public chargers can give EV drivers more confidence to travel long distances in their vehicles.
Unlike gas-powered cars, electric vehicles do not release heat-trapping pollution or harmful particulate matter, benefitting both public health and the environment.
Plus, driving an EV can save up to $2,200 every year on fuel costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
However, the prevalence and easy access of gas stations in Oregon and across the U.S. remain some of the key advantages that gas-powered vehicles have over EVs.
As of this spring, roughly 88,000 electric vehicles were registered in Oregon, per OPB, but the state had only about 4,000 public and 300 private charging stations to serve all those EVs, per the DOE.
One key advantage that EVs have over gas-powered cars, though, is the ability to charge an EV at home.
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