NJ Creates EV Taskforce and DEP Moves VW Forward

Governor Murphy has announced a statewide partnership to build out the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicle technology. The partnership, which will be co-led by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.  The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it is requesting approval from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trustee to disburse $16 million of the $72.2 million share for the deployment of electric heavy-duty garbage trucks, school buses, and port-related vehicles.

“This is the first real step from the Murphy Administration to make EV’s a reality for New Jersey. It has taken a while and we still have a long way to go. We need to be moving much quicker because mobile sources are the largest since source of air pollution. We need to do more than jumpstart, we need to accelerate this program so that we can hit our target to get 330,000 EV’s on the road by 2025,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “It’s good DEP is spending some of VW settlement fund to buy electric school busses and trucks. However, we need to be taking a lot more steps to get people driving EV’s and to reduce our air pollution.”

Each agency will have its own direct set of tasks to deploy several critical aspects of electrification such as, mapping of existing and planned charging infrastructure assets; installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state; working with lawmakers to establish an electric vehicle rebate program to incentivize adoption of electric vehicles among New Jersey residents; and creating an attractive corporate environment for ZEV-related primary and secondary companies.

“The Governor is putting together a task force and creating a fund to move EV’s forward.  But his program is short on substance and details, there is more hope than substance. We are at the starting gate at the Indianapolis 500 while everyone else is miles ahead of us. We need a plan that will categorize and specify what we need to spend each year and timelines to get things done. New Jersey needs to upgrade our charging stations, development projects funded by EDA, and infrastructure done by the BPU. The Governor needs to make sure that DCA are included in the program to update building codes commercial, office buildings, and redevelopment, and require charging stations,” said Tittel. “The DOT need part of the planning process, more importantly, NJ need to buy electric buses since they are planning to buy 500 fossil fuel buses. This will help them move toward their goal of 100% electric by 2025.”

People like EV technology that is becoming cheaper and greener however; there is ‘range anxiety.’ Therefore New Jersey needs a network of charging stations statewide to make people more comfortable with buying and using these electric vehicles.

“It is good that the Governor is putting together a fund using RGGI, VW, and Societal Benefit Charge monies. But there are no details on how much money we need and how we plan to spend it. In order to provide funding for EV’s and rebates, we need to look at multiple funding sources so that we are not overly dependent on one. The Murphy Administration need to offer opportunities for people to buy EVs of all communities, including those of modest means through rebates or ‘cash for clunkers’ programs. NJ must fund and implement programs to install plug-in stations along with providing things like ride share programs like zip cars, lyft, ubers, and taxis to encourage EV’s that everyone can afford. Settlement money should also got to electrify our ports and buses,”said Tittel. “It is 70% cheaper to operate an EV than a car using gas. EV’s maintenance costs are much lower compared to gas engine cars because they don’t require parts like mufflers.”

New Jersey’s biggest source of air pollution and GHG is from cars and trucks, but our state has been gridlocked when it comes to moving forward with electric vehicles. They are responsible for over 45% of our greenhouse gasses in New Jersey come vehicles and our state suffers from failing air levels.

“We need to make sure that funding goes to charging networks and incentives are targeted to communities that have received a disproportionate share of pollution, especially Environmental Justice and communities of modest means. We also need to target EV’s to low- and moderate-income areas. It is important that we provide job training on electric vehicles and installing charging stations in these communities. We should also be giving incentives or priority to charging stations that use energy that are tied to solar projects,” said Tittel. “The memorandum does not deal with EJ communities, we need to make sure this program will target communities disproportionately affected by air pollution.”

The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it is requesting approval from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trustee to disburse $16 million of the $72.2 million share for the deployment of electric heavy-duty garbage trucks, school buses, and port-related vehicles.

“It’s good that DEP is finally starting to spend some of the Volkswagen settlement fund. Using $16 million to replace diesel trucks with clean electric garbage trucks and school buses will help reduce NOx pollution in many of New Jersey’s EJ communities. This is a step forward to electrify our ports and transition away from dirty fossil fuel busses. Settlement money should go towards EV’s in underserved areas and encourage EV’s that everyone can afford,” said Tittel. “Spending VW for EV’s good but we are so far behind other states. Need to do a lot more and get money spent soon.”

There is a bill in the NJ state legislature that would advance EV technology and charging stations across New Jersey. The bill, S2252 (Smith) establishes Statewide public plug-in electric vehicle charging system. The goal would be to develop a Statewide plan for installing at least 600 public DC fast chargers and Level 2 public community chargers at 300 locations or more in the State.

“We hope this announcement by Gov. Murphy is a commitment to work with other agencies but also with the legislature. We need to use legislation to advance EVs and especially EV infrastructure in our state. S2252(Smith) will help kick electric vehicles into high gear and reduce air pollution and fossil fuels. Governor Murphy is taking charge.  Now his administration and the legislature need to work together to remove the roadblocks and accelerate movement towards electric vehicles,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.