Chicago Construction News staff writer
Ten applicants will share $12.6 million from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Grants will fund 348 new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports at 87 locations throughout Illinois. The awards are based on a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued in the fall of 2022 seeking publicly accessible locations in the three priority areas outlined in the Volkswagen (VW) Beneficiary Mitigation Plan (BMP). These grants were made possible after the Pritzker Administration committed to focus Illinois’ remaining VW Settlement allocation on electric transportation and infrastructure.
“We are excited to see EV charging infrastructure expanding throughout Illinois, providing much needed access, and complementing the State’s goals to expand EVs in Illinois,” said EPA Director Kim. “We look forward to announcing additional opportunities to fund EV charging infrastructure through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which will further expand accessibility for Illinois residents and visitors.”
The Illinois EPA is funding DCFC light-duty charging stations at publicly accessible locations (shopping centers, retail stores, gas stations, hotels, etc.) in the three priority areas:
- Priority Area 1 = 34 Sites: Cook = 6, DuPage = 11, Kane = 8, Lake = 3, McHenry = 2, and Will = 3, Grundy County = 1
- Priority Area 2 = 22 Sites: Madison = 11, Monroe = 2, and St. Clair = 9
- Priority Area 3 = 31 Sites: Champaign = 7, DeKalb = 2, LaSalle = 4, McLean = 4, Peoria = 2, Sangamon = 3, and Winnebago = 9
Grant applicants were required to include a minimum of two projects in two or more of the priority areas. Applications with a minimum of three projects, one in each of the three priority areas, were prioritized for review, scoring, and funding.
