Webinars

The Joint Office hosted a webinar on the Access Board’s design recommendations for accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The U.S. Access Board is an independent federal agency that issues accessibility guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws.

The webinar shared information and provided technical assistance to help in the design and construction of EV charging stations that are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. U.S. Access Board Transportation Systems Engineer Juliet Shoultz discussed accessibility guidelines and best practices.

Reference Materials:

Access Board Design Recommendations for Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

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The Joint Office hosted a webinar on minority-owned business outreach and partnerships for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. Minority-owned businesses are leading the charge in the EV infrastructure industry by manufacturing, installing, operating, and maintaining EV chargers and providing innovative charging services to support a growing EV market. These businesses are also training the workforce of the future, especially in underserved communities.

The federal government has several resources at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Minority Business Development Agency to support minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses participation in federal funding to deploy EV charging equipment and connect to primary funding recipients.

The audience heard from businesses working in different parts of the EV industry and learned how to connect to others through regional federal offices that support small- and minority-owned businesses.

Speakers included:

• Angela Washington, Minority Business Development Agency
• Natalie King, chief executive officer of Dunamis
• Edwin Luevanos, chief executive officer of Citizen Energy
• Sheryl Ponds, founder and chief executive officer of DaiTechCorp

The Joint Office hosted a webinar on the Alternative Fuel Life Cycle Environmental and Economic Transportation (AFLEET) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Emissions Tool for use in corridor project proposals to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program). Argonne National Laboratory created the AFLEET-CFI Emissions Tool, a spreadsheet tool that estimates well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle operation air pollutant emissions specifically for corridor project proposals to FHWA's CFI Program.

Principal Environmental Scientist Andrew Burnham, the creator of the tool, walked through how to use the tool and answered questions.

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Market Scan: EV Charging Solutions for Multifamily Housing

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) hosted a webinar on community charging. The purpose was to inform on key considerations of community charging models and how electric vehicle (EV) charging can meet community needs and support equitable and widespread EV adoption.

The U.S. Department of Energy Vehicle Technologies Office has previously funded projects that support community charging, including curbside EV charging, EV car share, EV charging for multifamily (MFH) housing, and EV mobility hubs.

Lessons learned from these projects can help identify best practices for communities pursuing electrification, including engaging stakeholders, strategies for improving the equitable distribution of project benefits, site selection factors, and permitting/policy elements that could impact the project.

Audience members left the webinar with a better understanding of best practices for planning for and implementing community charging models.

The Joint Office has partnered with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory to develop sample cybersecurity procurement clauses, which may assist state agencies or others in writing requests for proposals and contracts for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program EV charging station installation and operation.

The purpose is to assist the states in establishing a secure life cycle approach to EV charging infrastructure that begins at the discharge of the procurement agreement. The sample cybersecurity procurement clauses were gleaned from best practices derived from industry publications, research, and interviews with the U.S. Department of Transportation and state departments of transportation.

Audience members left the webinar with a better understanding on how the sample procurement clauses may be used to:

• Help states clearly communicate expectations and requirements.
• Ensure cybersecurity is included throughout the procurement life cycle.
• Provide a starting point for the acquisition process.
• Empower states to select clauses that are most applicable to their specific procurements.

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This webinar discussed community engagement in transportation with speakers from the Joint Office; Equitable Cities, an urban planning, public policy, and research firm; two state departments of transportation (DOT); and state representatives from the Clean Cities Coalition Network.

The purpose of the webinar was to learn how to conduct meaningful, ongoing stakeholder engagement with underserved communities to ensure equitable outcomes for electric vehicle infrastructure deployment.

Participants left the webinar with a better understanding of best practices in community engagement in transportation, case studies on state implementation of community engagement, incorporating federal equity priorities in clean transportation work, examples of equity and environmental justice activities, as well as common engagement challenges and strategies to overcome them.

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During this webinar national experts discussed key considerations in the design of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, such as accessibility, security, parking, operations, and maintenance.

The purpose of the webinar was to inform state and local agencies, site hosts, utilities, and other stakeholders on approaching the design of EV charging stations that conform to National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program requirements.

Participants left the webinar with a better understanding of best practices around EV charging site design. This was the second of four webinars related to EV charging station site design. Watch a recording of the March 23, 2023, webinar on site evaluation.

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During this Joint Office webinar attendees heard from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Infrastructure, a utility, and a state energy office. The FHWA panelist provided an overview of contracting and procurement rules required for projects that use Title 23 funding on federal-aid highway projects.

Representatives from a utility and state discussed their lessons learned from contracting the implementation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations over the past 10 years. The intent was to provide state and local governments with information on how to establish contracting and procurement processes that comply with federal regulations and benefit from the opportunities gleaned from previous experience.

There was a question-and-answer session. Audience members gained a better understanding of different contracting and procurement mechanisms, how to overcome challenges in the process, and how to best engage with selected contractors to get the highest benefit for EV charging station users and operators.

Please note, the views and lessons learned expressed during the utility and state energy office portion are informational only and have not been reviewed or endorsed by FHWA. There is no assurance that these strategies are appropriate for implementing federal rules and regulations associated with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, or any other federal funding program.

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The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) hosted a webinar with the Colorado Energy Office and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on the state of the practice for electric vehicle (EV) charging station site evaluation and deployment processes.

The panelists will discuss their experiences on how to evaluate sites for EV charging stations. Our intent is to provide state and local government, site hosts, utilities, and others with information on determining feasibility of a site, coordinating with utilities, estimating charging demand to meet power requirements and reliability (for now and in the future), and permitting.

The conversation was structured as follows:

• Introduction from the Joint Office
• Presentations from subject matter experts: Christian Williss, Colorado Energy Office; Natasha Fackler and Colton Brown, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• Facilitated Q&A session with presenters.

Steve Lommele, interim communications and stakeholder engagement lead for the Joint Office, moderated the webinar and took audience questions.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will provide $2.5 billion over five years to a wide range of applicants, including cities, counties, local governments, and tribes. The DOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently opened applications for a first round of funding up to $700 million from Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 and 2023. This funding is available to strategically deploy EV charging and other alternative vehicle-fueling infrastructure projects in publicly accessible locations.

DOT FHWA held two informational webinars on the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the CFI Discretionary Grant Program.

To watch webinar recordings, see the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program.

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) hosted a webinar that gave the perspective of a utility, a public utility commission, and a state department of transportation (DOT) working to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

The webinar explored how these stakeholders are working to streamline the service connection agreement process, plan for available capacity and additional load, create electricity rates that meet the needs for EV charging, and ensure a positive customer experience from EV charging site host to the EV end user.

The conversation included representation from:

• Kaleb Vander Wiele, Transportation Electrification Project Manager, WisDOT Division of Budget and Strategic Initiatives
• Cathleen Lewis, E-Mobility Program Manager, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
• Brian Wilke, Director of Business Development, National Grid.

Steve Lommele, interim communications and stakeholder engagement lead for the Joint Office, moderated the webinar and took audience questions.

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The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) hosted a webinar with metropolitan regional planning organizations and partners coordinating sustainable transportation deployment. The webinar explored the experiences that regional planning organizations have had thus far bridging the transportation and energy sectors, including the challenges and successes they have faced along the way.

Audience members left the webinar with a better understanding as to what resources regional planning organizations have at their disposal to ensure charging and fueling infrastructure investments are well-coordinated at a regional level.

The conversation included:

• Introduction from the Joint Office
• Case study on regional approach utilized in Chattanooga, Tennessee with participants:
  • Melissa Taylor, City of Chattanooga
  • Mina Sartipi, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
  • Rich Davies, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
• Facilitated discussion with all participants, including:
  • James Corless, Chief Executive Officer for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments
  • Brandi Whetstone, Sustainability Officer at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission."

Steve Lommele, interim communications and stakeholder engagement lead for the Joint Office, moderated the webinar and took audience questions.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in coordination with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, held two informational webinars on the recently released Electric Vehicle Charging Minimum Standards Rule.

The final rule applies to all FHWA-funded electric vehicle chargers, including those funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The final rule will help ensure a convenient and reliable charging experience for current and future EV drivers across the country. For a pre-publication version of the rule and more information, see the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program website.

To watch webinar recordings, see NEVI Resources from FHWA.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Authority (FTA) held webinars on Feb. 16 and 28, 2023, about the Low or No Emission and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Programs FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity. The nearly $1.7 billion DOT FTA funding opportunity will support state and local efforts to modernize aging transit fleets with low- and no-emission buses, renovate and construct bus facilities, and support workforce development.

Potential applicants to the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Low or No Emission (Low-No) Program and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program were welcome to attend. Webinar attendees learned about program eligibility, evaluation criteria and selection considerations, and the submission process.

The first webinar was a general session for all applicants. Listen to the first webinar. The second webinar featured a Q&A session focused on questions from rural and tribal applicants. Listen to the second webinar.

Applicants are encouraged to listen to the webinars to learn more and how to apply before the Thursday, April 13, 2023, funding opportunity application deadline.

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Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office), hosted a virtual Meet and Greet on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. Klein discussed Joint Office fiscal year 2023 priorities including:

• Supporting the deployment of $7.5 billion to build a national electric vehicle charging network with a focus on filling gaps in rural and disadvantaged communities and hard-to-reach locations.
• Assisting states and communities, school districts, transit agencies, and tribal nations with implementing investments in zero-emission passenger, transit, and heavy-duty vehicles.
• Sustaining the Biden-Harris administration’s Justice40 Initiative goal of delivering 40% of the benefits from federal climate and clean energy investment to underserved communities.

Steve Lommele, interim communications and stakeholder engagement lead for the Joint Office, moderated the Meet and Greet and took audience questions.

The U.S. Department of Energy hosted a webinar detailing the Justice40 Initiative. The initiative supports the federal goal that at least 40% of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. The potential benefits are wide ranging, such as access to cleaner energy, air, and transportation, as well as training for clean energy jobs. For those planning projects with an energy and environmental justice component, an assortment of tools—Energy Justice Mapping Tool, Electric Vehicle Charging Justice40 Map Tool, Energy Zones Mapping Tool, and more—are available for identifying disadvantaged communities.

Though this webinar discusses multiple definitions for disadvantaged communities, the NEVI program guidance encourages states to use the definition in the EV Charging Justice40 Map.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation hosted a webinar about new technical assistance being offered to transit agencies and entities receiving—or planning to apply for—federal funds to expand or transition their fleets with clean and green buses. FTA recently announced over $1.6 billion in FY22 funding to support new-technology buses through the Low- and No-Emission Vehicle and Buses and Bus Facilities programs.

Created by President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to facilitate collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will share resources and guidance, through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to eligible FTA entities seeking to transition their fleets to low- or no-emission transit vehicles.

This webinar covered how to access technical assistance and included a question-and-answer session to solicit feedback from industry stakeholders on topics of interest in clean fleet conversions.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program asks states to consider equity in their planning process. Torrey Lyons and Monisha Shah from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation provided an overview of equity considerations for planning and deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The webinar also covered the Justice40 Initiative and how it relates to the NEVI formula program and state plans. They discussed available equity and Justice40 related tools and other resources that states can use to develop state plans.

This webinar featured a discussion of common themes and questions encountered during the first two months of state technical assistance (TA) by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. We discussed station and corridor terms and definitions, differences between the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and alternative fuel corridors designations, common state plan needs, and the exception process. New TA offerings were also presented, including regional support teams and TA office hours. The webinar featured other topics related to state plan development as well as a question-and-answer session.

This webinar was a meet-and-greet with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation's Technical Assistance Team. The webinar covered the guidance and plan template for states, resources from the Joint Office, and ways for states to get assistance. This was an opportunity for state DOTs or their representatives to share their needs with the Joint Office and discuss how to collaborate.

This webinar was an introduction to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and an overview of how the office will support the deployment of zero-emission, convenient, accessible, and equitable transportation infrastructure. The webinar covered Joint Office goals, members, and capabilities, as well as how to work with the office.