FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 1, 2024
Contact: Erik Salmi
[email protected] | 202-724-8072

Today, the DC Council voted to unanimously approve on first vote landmark legislation from DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6) to set aggressive goals for the installation of both public and private charging stations for electric vehicles.

According to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, the District of Columbia currently has roughly 1,141 EV ports, or only 346 station locations.

“One of the major reasons people hesitate to get an electric vehicle is ‘range anxiety,’ or the fear that they can’t envision how they will keep their car charged at home or out and about. We don’t have that fear with gas-powered vehicles because the infrastructure is built out. It’s time to do that for electric vehicles. This is an infrastructure bill that sets goals and clears red tape to get more chargers installed where people actually want them,” Councilmember Allen said.

Under Councilmember Allen’s bill, the Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Access, Readiness, and Sustainability Amendment Act of 2024, the District’s goals would dramatically expand, setting a boulder goal of installing five % of ports relative to registered electric vehicles and a clear direction for how to direct federal dollars dedicated to charging infrastructure. In addition, the bill clears the way for renters to install charging stations at home with reasonable limits.

“This is a blueprint for leveraging the once-in-a-generation investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other federal grant opportunities. This legislation will undoubtedly accelerate the District’s transition to our renewable energy future, minimize our impact on the climate, and build a healthier, greener, and more resilient city,” Councilmember Allen said.

The bill was first introduced in late 2022. The version of the bill passing today includes the following provisions:

• Requires applicants for certain permits to install EV charging stations and provide certain data to the District of Transportation (DDOT) and the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). Applicants will also be required to use Certified Business Enterprises for 35% of projects to install and maintain the EV charging ports.
  
  
• Replaces the District’s Electric Vehicle Charging Station Pilot Program with a new Neighborhood Charging Pilot Program to allow DDOT to use federal infrastructure dollars to rapidly deploy EV charging ports in areas lacking EV infrastructure beginning in 2026.
  
  
• Directs DOEE to develop and publish an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment and Management Plan starting January 2026 to help the District assess the electric grid’s readiness and resiliency for EV charging. The plan will identify future charging station locations with equity as a priority and maximize utilization of electric vehicle charging ports to achieve at least 5% of charging ports for District-registered EVs projected every year over a 10-year period, while also requiring EV charging port standards to ensure accessibility and charging reliability.
• Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, requires all new or substantially improved commercial and multi-unit buildings that have parking lots and garages to include infrastructure that accommodates EV charging stations, and to have a percentage of dedicated EV-ready and EV-installed spaces.
  
  
• Establishes an Electric Vehicle Charging Incentive Program to be administered by DOEE to incentivize the purchase, installation, and upgrades of EV charging ports. For example, a homeowner in an older home looking to exercise their “right-to-charge” created by this bill would be able to use a voucher or similar financial resource to supplement or fully cover the cost of purchasing and installing an EV charging station.
  
  
• Creates a permitting requirement for newly built or renovated single-family homes with dedicated off-road parking (i.e., driveway parking spots or garages) to be EV charging-ready with at least electrical capacity to support Level 1 charging – simply put, your standard electric outlet.
  
  
• Gives condominium unit owners, co-op members, and homeowners who are part of a condo or community association the right to install EV charging ports with reasonable requirements and safety restrictions by condo, co-op, or other common interest boards.
  
  
• Gives renters the right to install EV charging ports at their place of residence, with reasonable requirements and safety restrictions able to be imposed by housing providers.
  
  
• Requires the installation of a direct current, fast-charging electric vehicle charging port when constructing a new– or making improvements equal to at least 50% of the value of an existing – retail service (gas) station that is projected to sell more than one million gallons of gasoline per year.

A second and final vote will take place at the Council’s next Legislative Meeting.

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