EV charging infrastructure deployment plans are in the works for Interstates 5 and 84 after the Oregon Department of Transportation secured grant funding from two federal programs for planning, design and installation work at the stations.

During a webinar on Wednesday, ODOT gave an overview of its plans for the public fleet EV charging stations on both highways.

The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program is a discretionary grant program that was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Its main purpose is to fund alternative fuel infrastructure projects along major highways and interstates throughout the state and communities, with a special focus on medium and heavy-duty infrastructure, said Brett Howell, ODOT’s transportation electrification coordinator.

In 2023, ODOT, the California Department of Transportation and the Washington State Department of Transportation applied for the program. In August 2024, the three states – California, Washington and Oregon – were selected for an award in round 1B of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. The total award was roughly $102 million to support the development of medium and heavy-duty focused charging infrastructure, as well as a limited number of hydrogen refueling stations along Interstate 5 in all three states and a few additional corridors in California, Howell said.

Oregon received about $21.1 million to develop two medium and heavy-duty charging stations, and one hydrogen refueling station, all to be located along the I-5 corridor.

Howell said the funding for the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program is subject to a 20 percent minimum match requirement. ODOT intends to issue a notice of funding opportunity application sometime next fall.

The Carbon Reduction Program provides money to reduce carbon emissions. Oregon received $4.5 million for installation of an EV charging station along I-84, likely between Portland and The Dalles, Howell said.

For the Carbon Reduction Program, there is a funding match of 10.27 percent. ODOT plans to issue a funding opportunity application for in the spring or summer.

The webinar also addressed a new provision for a program through the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Oregon DEQ‘s Clean Fuels Program is providing financial incentives for public fleets and their contractors through advance crediting. The financial incentives allow fleets to get an up-front loan of Clean Fuels Program credits when they put a new medium- or heavy- duty electric vehicle into service.

Courtney Herbolsheimer, of Oregon DEQ, said the program, which began in 2016, is a market-based program that reduces the overall carbon intensity of transportation fuels used in Oregon.

“Each type of fuel is assigned a carbon intensity value or level of carbon emissions,” Herbolsheimer said. “Over time, each year, DEQ gradually lowers the amount of carbon intensity average that’s allowed in fuel to meet our annual reduction goals.”

Lower carbon fuels will generate credits, while higher carbon fuels will generate deficits. An entity reports on a quarterly basis the number of kilowatt hours of electricity that are dispensed from its chargers each quarter.

With this new provision – advance crediting – DEQ is able to grant up to six years of credits to an entity up front. Those credits would be received when the vehicle is put into service, Herbolsheimer said.

The program will have one application period per year and will launch in early to mid-2026. Advance credits will apply only to vehicles when they are first put into service. Applicants must remain the owner of the vehicle until they have paid back the advance credits. Oregon DEQ will determine if an application meets the requirements. After an agreement is made, DEQ will issue advance credits.

The entity would pay back those credits over a period spanning at least one year and no later than three years after receiving the credits. Once the credits are repaid, they can go back to the regular program.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded several large grants to Oregon as part of its Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program, including more than $102 million in federal funding to Oregon, California and Washington to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations for trucks along Interstate 5 and other key freight routes.

The award will result in new, publicly accessible EV charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles like delivery vans and long-haul freight trucks. The stations are part of a collaborative project among the West Coast states to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in the trucking and logistics industries.

California’s award for the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project is a project shared with Oregon and Washington, according to an Oregon Department of Transportation press release. The California Department of Transportation will receive $102 million for the project to deploy charging and hydrogen fueling stations for zero emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along 2,500 miles of key freight corridors in California, Oregon and Washington.

Grant funding comes from the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The cities of Tualatin and Albany also received grant awards for public EV charging stations from the program.

The city of Tualatin will receive $15 million to build 1,000 charging ports in 17 cities across Oregon’s North Willamette Valley, including Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, King City and Lake Oswego. Charging stations will primarily serve low- and moderate-income residents and those who live in multifamily housing where at-home charging access is limited. Chargers also will be built at publicly accessible facilities, such as libraries, parks and community centers.

The city of Albany will receive nearly $1.9 million to plan, design and construct EV charging stations at four locations: a city-owned parking lot serving the Albany Train and Multimodal Center; a city-owned lot in historic downtown; at the North Albany Park & Ride; and at a commercial area near the corner of Interstate 5 and Highway 99E.

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