Merkley Champions Legislation to Increase Charging Stations at Highway Rest Areas

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley reintroduced theRecharge your Electric Car on the Highway to Alleviate Range Gaps Effectively (RECHARGE) Actto allow electric vehicle (EV) charging at rest areas, facilitating the expansion of EV charging infrastructure on federal highways, and lowering range anxiety as the public transitions to more electric vehicles.
“Electric vehicles save households money while helping drive America toward a renewable energy future with cleaner air and healthier communities,”said Merkley. “However, there is much more that needs to be done to accelerate this transition, particularly when it comes to the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. TheRECHARGE Actwould allow chargers at our federal highway rest areas to further develop this critical infrastructure, ensuring America remains at the forefront of the EV revolution.”
Currently, locations for EV charging stations along interstate highways are limited by federal law that constrains commercial activity at federal highway rest areas. Electrifying our transportation sector is essential to cutting climate chaos-causing carbon pollution, while supporting good-paying jobs.
TheRECHARGE Acthas been endorsed by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and Sierra Club.
“When it comes to electric vehicles, we don’t have a range anxiety problem in America, we have a charging anxiety problem. We appreciate the leadership of Senator Merkley who understands that reversing the outdated ban on building and operating public EV charging stations at interstate rest areas goes hand-in-hand with increasing EV adoption across the U.S.,”said John Bozzella, president and CEO, Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
“Improving the electric vehicle charging experience for drivers across the country is crucial to advancing our nation’s transition to clean vehicles, which will help households save money, clean up our air, and reduce climate emissions from the top polluting sector in the country. The Sierra Club wholeheartedly endorses theRECHARGE Actto help get us there,”said Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All Campaign Director Katherine García.
Full text of theRECHARGE Actcan be found by clickinghere.
###