$1 Million Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Funding Available for Electric Vehicle Charging
“The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is pleased to partner with the Department of Business and Economic Affairs to promote the Recharge the Adventure New Hampshire grant program,” said NHDES Commissioner Robert Scott. “Investing in the buildout of public charging infrastructure in the Granite State not only benefits our EV-driving residents and visitors but also results in positive impacts to both New Hampshire’s economy and air quality.”
“The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs is excited to partner with the Department of Environmental Services in promoting this new grant program,” said BEA Commissioner Lucy Lange. “Installing public charging infrastructure at travel- and tourism-oriented locations will support the local economies of New Hampshire communities and enable EV-driving residents and visitors to feel confident in exploring all that New Hampshire has to offer.”
Currently, over 25,000 light-duty EVs are registered in New Hampshire and EV adoption in the Granite State continues to grow rapidly. New Hampshire’s light-duty EV fleet has grown by close to 40% on average in each of the last five (5) years, and this growth shows few signs of slowing down. EVs are on the uptick in neighboring states and provinces too. Regionally, nearly 300,000 EVs call New England home and over 440,000 are also registered in nearby Quebec, Canada. Investing in a robust public EVSE network invites EV drivers to travel confidently to Granite State destinations and attractions and enables them to recharge and continue the adventure in New Hampshire.
With the travel- and-tourism sectors comprising the second-largest revenue-generating industry in New Hampshire, the RANH program intends to help meet the growing demand for public charging in the Granite State. RANH is designed to expand New Hampshire’s EV charging network and bolster the state’s travel- and tourism-industries by supporting the installation of new Level 2 EVSE at locations that are accessible year round and available to the public. To be eligible for funding, sites must meet one (1) or more of the three (3) RANH objectives:
- Support EV-driving visitors at New Hampshire tourism attractions.
- Boost local economies by installing Level 2 EVSE in business and commercial districts.
- Serve areas with high EV charging demand from residents and visitors alike.
Eligible applicants include public entities, such as New Hampshire municipalities, counties and state agencies, along with private and nonprofit entities in good standing with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. RANH can provide reimbursement of up to 80% of eligible costs and up to a maximum of $10,000 per EVSE port installed. There is a maximum investment of $100,000 per New Hampshire municipality (i.e., town/city), regardless of applicant or site host. To ensure this funding benefits every region of New Hampshire, a minimum of $40,000 in funding has been reserved for the territory covered by each of the state’s nine (9) Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs).
Applications will be accepted on a rolling monthly basis until all available funding has been obligated. Applications are due on the 15th day of each month, starting with the first application deadline of November 15 at 4:00 p.m. ET. More information on eligibility, funding limits, and grant requirements can be found in the RFP, which is located on the NHDES RANH webpage.
A RANH RFP informational webinar with a Question and Answer segment will be held on October 14 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET. Interested parties may register for the webinar using this link. Questions may also be submitted in writing to the NHDES Mobile Sources team via email at ms-grants@des.nh.gov. Organizations can stay up to date on NHDES Mobile Sources funding opportunities by subscribing to the Mobile Sources newsletter.
The New Hampshire Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (NH VW Trust) is funded from a settlement agreement with Volkswagen AG and its corporate affiliates for Clean Air Act violations. The New Hampshire Beneficiary Mitigation Plan provides that 15% of New Hampshire’s approximately $31.9M allocation will be used for the acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance of EVSE. NHDES is the Lead Agency for the NH VW Trust and, in partnership with BEA, is making approximately $1 million available for this solicitation.
For more information, please visit the RANH program website, or contact Jack Wade, NHDES Mobile Sources Supervisor, at (603) 271-5552, or MS-grants@des.nh.gov.
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