City News Brief
Regional planners seek help identifying new spots for EV charging
Regional planners are asking the public to help identify additional locations for future electric vehicle charging stations in Greater Portland. This outreach is part of a broader initiative. The goal is to help cities and towns access public and private funding opportunities for improving EV infrastructure, said Jonathan Gagne, Sustainability Program Coordinator at the Greater Portland Council of Governments.
Maine has submitted its second round of applications to the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. If successful, the state could secure up to $15 million to fund 64 public electric vehicle charging ports across 16 community locations. Potential locations include six hospitals, enhancing transportation resiliency in areas prone to flooding and storms.
The state may also receive $20 million to establish 80 charging ports at 20 stations along Maine’s federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. These include I-95, I-295, Route 1, and Route 302.
As part of its Charging the Region initiative, the Greater Portland Council of Governments is estimating future demand for charging stations and using traffic volume data to track emissions.
Public Survey
The agency is conducting a public survey to gather input on residents’ priorities, concerns, and preferred locations for charging stations. The survey period closes on February 28th. The survey is available online at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ChargingTheRegion.
Currently, about 6,700 electric vehicles are registered in the region. This represents just two percent of the total number of vehicles. So there is a significant potential for growth in EV adoption, Gagne noted.
The region already has 119 public charging locations, but more are needed, Gagne said.
“Access to reliable and affordable charging is critical to accelerating EV adoption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
He added: “Transportation accounts for 49 percent of Maine’s carbon emissions, making EV adoption one of our best opportunities to combat climate change. With Charging the Region, we aim to make EV ownership accessible, convenient and a practical solution for residents across Greater Portland.”
