NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna

NMDOT News:

SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna announced Tuesday the first of multiple electric vehicle (EV) charging station grant contracts awarded statewide.

The Level Three Direct Current (DC) Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) Grant Program provides approximately $5.1 million in funding derived from the distribution of the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Program also aligns with Gov. Lujan Grisham’s Climate Change goals of reducing greenhouse gases through low-carbon projects.

The funds were appropriated to the NMDOT for planning, engineering services, design, and installation of EVCS across New Mexico. Any EV charging infrastructure acquired or installed with the funds shall be located along a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor which the NMDOT identified in August.

The funds must be used for electric vehicle charging infrastructure on public roads or in other publicly accessible locations such as public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities owned or managed by a private entity.

Applicants interested in installing an EVCS submitted proposals to the NMDOT and were asked to take into consideration: Equity, cost effectiveness, operation, and maintenance of EVCS. They also were asked to address geographic diversity of EVCS in rural areas, and the Justice 40 initiative.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

The Program prioritized rural locations, as well as low-and moderate-income areas of the state to help alleviate economic and racial disparities.

“Every application was taken into careful consideration with the goal of supporting the development and growth of electric vehicle charging stations and alternative fuel infrastructure statewide, no matter how rural the location,” Secretary Serna said. “In the end, 32 locations were selected in the first round of selections.”