Today, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is announcing more than $739,000 awarded to state government agencies to install Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations. These awards are the final grants through the North Carolina Volkswagen Settlement Program, which has distributed more than $92 million for clean vehicles and EV chargers.
These awards will distribute funding for the installation of 50 Level 2 charging ports at 17 sites across the state, including public chargers at universities, state parks and community colleges. Other projects will support the charging of state employee and state fleet vehicles, supporting Governor Cooper’s efforts under Executive Order 80 to transition the state motor fleet to zero-emission vehicles.
These chargers are estimated to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by a combined 80 pounds over their lifetimes and prevent more than 450 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.
Seven of the awarded projects are in rural counties, and eight are located in historically under-resourced counties that DEQ identified for additional outreach and support during the application process. A full list of awards is on DEQ’s website.
DEQ’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) received more than $92 million from a national settlement with the automaker to distribute to qualifying projects. Since 2019, DAQ has reviewed funding applications and awarded grants and rebates for a variety of transportation projects that will together prevent an estimated 377 tons of nitrogen oxide from entering the atmosphere and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Across both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the N.C. Volkswagen Settlement Program, DAQ awarded more than $77 million for the replacement of old, dirty diesel vehicles with clean alternatives, including electric vehicles. And DAQ awarded another $15 million for the installation of DC Fast and Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations across the state.
Phase 1 and 2 awards included:
- 84 all-electric, zero-emission vehicles and 350 lower emission vehicles, including school buses, transit buses and heavy-duty trucks and equipment.
- 166 DC Fast charging ports at 86 sites.
- 901 Level 2 charging ports at 224 sites.
Altogether, 57% of the funding went to projects in rural counties. In Phase 2, 43% of funding was awarded to projects in the identified historically under-resourced counties. DAQ used 15% of the funding, the maximum allowed by the settlement, for charging infrastructure projects.
DEQ continues to support the clean-energy transition of the state’s transportation sector. DAQ is now accepting applications for its annual Mobile Sources Emissions Reductions grants until Feb. 2, 2024. Funding is available to help private and public organizations reduce diesel emissions by replacing or repowering old equipment with clean alternatives and improve air quality.