The National Council on Electricity Policy has released the “Mini Guide on Transportation Electrification: State-Level Roles and Collaboration among Public Utility Commissions, State Energy Offices, and Departments of Transportation,” the eighth in its guide series promoting dialogue among state-level electricity decision makers by highlighting examples of successful engagement.
The mini guide, prepared by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Center for Partnerships & Innovation, the National Association of State Energy Officials and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, outlines typical state agencies’ roles and provides lessons learned from recent successes as State Energy Offices, state departments of transportation and public utility commission officials coordinate EV infrastructure planning and implementation. Increased coordination among these three agencies is a valuable strategy for states that are working to achieve state energy policies, upgrade transportation corridors, identify equitable charging station placement and design rates for vehicle charging across the states.
Included in the guide are condensed excerpts from interviews with State Energy Office, DOT and PUC officials from three states: Florida, Michigan and Utah. A few key themes emerged from the interviews: Identifying the specific roles each agency plays allows for smoother progress as agencies leverage relevant strengths among their partners; formal and informal collaboration is valuable for each agency to meet its mission; and collaboratively engaging public- and private-sector stakeholders increases opportunities for a state to benefit from transportation electrification. By working collaboratively across agencies and with varying stakeholders, states can anticipate and handle the unprecedented opportunities and challenges associated with developing novel infrastructure at the intersection of energy, transportation and the electrical grid.
“This guide will be a great resource for state agencies to use as they collaborate on implementing the transportation electrification programs and various Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act EV-related infrastructure programs,” states NASEO Executive Director David Terry.
“The federal government has allocated an immense amount of funding for electric vehicle charging infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), clearly marking it as a national priority,” mentions AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. “As state DOTs work to deploy these funds, they will need assistance and technical expertise from their counterparts at sister state agencies, like state energy offices and public utility commissions. This guide offers some helpful examples of how to foster cross-agency collaboration, and can serve as a starting point for those conversations.”
Read the mini guide here.