Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
A webinar hosted by the MMA provides an overview of significant electric vehicle policy developments and resources becoming available to municipalities. Pictured are (clockwise from top left) Carrie Lavallee, deputy administrator and chief engineer at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Heath Fahle, assistant secretary for federal funds in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, and Daniel Gatti, director of clean transportation policy in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
An MMA webinar today provided an overview of significant electric vehicle policy developments and resources becoming available to municipalities.
Daniel Gatti, director of clean transportation policy in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, discussed the billions of dollars included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for EV-related initiatives, as well as federal tax credit changes included in the Inflation Reduction Act that will affect consumers, dealers, businesses, municipalities and manufacturers.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan calls for EVs to account for a majority of new cars sold in the state by 2030 as a primary strategy to reduce emissions. Various pieces of state legislation codify many of the components of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan, establish incentives for the implementation of these components, and create funding sources to promote implementation.
Carrie Lavallee, deputy administrator and chief engineer at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, discussed the state’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan, known as its NEVI plan, which was approved by the Federal Highway Administration in September. She said the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program will provide Massachusetts with significant formula funding over five years to support the construction and operation of charging stations along major highway corridors.
The session concluded with a review of existing municipal programs in Massachusetts meant to leverage funding and incentivize the use of EVs. Additional grant funding opportunities are anticipated to be available upon establishment and approval by the EV Intergovernmental Coordinating Council.
Heath Fahle, assistant secretary for federal funds in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, opened the session with an overview of the federal funding opportunities in four major infrastructure areas: transportation, climate and power, water and sewer, and broadband.
The webinar concluded with 20 minutes of questions and answers, moderated by MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Jackie Lavender Bird. Inquiries about developing charging station infrastructure and the electrification of MBTA buses were addressed.
• Executive Office for Administration and Finance: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act presentation (521K PDF)
• Electric Vehicle Policy Landscape and Municipal Opportunities presentation (381K PDF)