Program Update
Kathy provided an update on Round 1 and 2 sites, which are currently in the
design phase:
• Dane County Office of Energy and Climate Change (DC-OECC) is holding
one-on-one meetings with site hosts to review preliminary designs so that there
is an opportunity for input prior to paperwork being submitted to the Federal
Highway Administration’s Wisconsin (FHWA-WI) office.
• Preliminary design, cost estimate, and environmental paperwork has been
submitted to FHWA-WI for 31 sites (Round 1) and approval is expected by the
end of January; in addition, we anticipate submitting paperwork to FHWA-WI for
an additional 22 sites (Round 2) in February. (Note: the Round 2 site in Monona
will not be moving forward.)
Kathy provided an update on the construction phase:
• After FHWA-WI approval of the paperwork submitted, the FHWA Headquarters
(in Washington, DC) would, in normal times, issue a budget amendment
authorizing the release of construction dollars. Other grantees have determined
that Legal action is necessary to ensure the federal government upholds their
contractual obligations and Wisconsin’s Attorney General is part of a national
lawsuit (representing the interests of EV owners in Wisconsin) toward that end.
• To further prepare for the construction phase, both current site hosts and the
EV Advisory Commission have provided input regarding construction vendor
requirements related to construction, hardware, software, and operations &
maintenance (O&M).
• The KL Engineering design team created a framework for O&M that is more
specific than the federal requirements under the Charging & Fueling
Infrastructure (CFI) program; this will be included in the construction RFP when
it is issued.
• Site host agreements have been executed for most of the Round 1 sites. An
easement will also need to be granted but design needs to be completed first.
• A number of members asked for clarification on site host obligations as it
relates to O&M. Kathy indicated that the county is responsible in Years 1-5.
Thereafter, the site host owns the infrastructure and equipment and can handle
O&M as they see fit. It’s helpful to think of this as “capacity building” and a way
for sites to get involved in helping to build EV infrastructure in a low risk way.
Kathy provided an update on the Wisconsin Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
(WEVI) Program:
• Under formula funding the State of Wisconsin was awarded $78M in grant
money to install fast-charging stations along the state’s Alternative Fuel
Corridors (AFC), which is essentially interstates and major highways. Thus far,
the state has awarded 79 stations totaling $37.3 in federal funding, leaving $40M
available for more flexible EV funding once USDOT and the State confirm that
the AFC is fully built out. For example, they may consider tourism and
secondary highway locations in future planning efforts. We expect that WisDOT
will solicit public input into the plan for the remaining state EV charging monies
and we will keep the Commission informed about that.
