Newsline

On Jan. 28, ABC submitted comments to the Federal Highway Administration on behalf of member contractors who install and perform work related to electric vehicle charging stations and other alternative clean energy fuel stations. ABC said needlessly excluding all contractors and workers who do not participate in the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program and/or government-registered apprenticeship programs from building EV charging station and alternative fuel projects could be problematic.

ABC member contractors comprise a crucial segment of the construction industry’s federal contracting base. Failing to encourage an inclusive policy will ultimately undermine the Biden administration’s goal of increasing the number of EV charging stations across America from 48,000 to 500,000 by 2030 and building America’s new clean energy infrastructure.

The comments were in response to a Nov. 29, 2021, request for information by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FHA, seeking feedback on the Development of Guidance for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.

The new infrastructure bill directs the DOT to develop guidance for states and localities to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure through the National Electric Vehicle Formula Program. The law also provides funding to states to deploy EV charging infrastructure and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access and reliability. In addition, the law establishes a discretionary grant program for charging and fueling infrastructure.

ABC’s comments urged regulators to avoid any language in the forthcoming guidance or additional regulatory actions that might limit experienced and quality contractors and skilled construction workers that already build EV charging stations and related alternative fuel infrastructure, as well as stakeholders interested in pursuing EV charging stations and alternative clean energy fuel infrastructure opportunities to win contracts.

ABC is concerned that future guidance and regulations might needlessly increase costs, reduce competition from contractors and artificially shrink the pool of qualified construction labor needed to build EV charging stations and alternative clean energy projects, undermining the Biden administration’s clean energy goals.