Planning for More Electric Vehicle Charging in Brattleboro
The Brattleboro EV-Charging Working Group was organized by the Sustainability Coordinator in December of 2023 and launched in 2024. This effort is a free program from the Town of Brattleboro Planning Department, inviting any organizations in Brattleboro with interest in installing EV-charging stations to learn from the Town’s journey of installing charging stations and participate in a series of meetings, presentations, and/or site visits to assist organizations in navigating the process of planning, grant funding/financing, installing, and maintaining EV-charging stations (also called electric vehicle supply equipment or EVSE).
The Town is putting on this program to try and ensure that as much funding comes to our region as possible. Due to being located at the crossroads of I-91, Rt. 30, Rt. 5, and Rt. 9, this area is a priority location and can benefit greatly by seeing more EV-charging stations installed in our Town. They help us reach our environmental goals, support the local economy, and support a wider transition to future resilience. As of June 2024, more than 15 different local organizations or businesses have participated in the working group, in order to further their plans for charging stations at their locations.
Currently there is more funding for installing EV-charging stations than ever before, in the form of grants both at the state and federal level, and newly expanded tax credits. For the state grants and federal tax credits, even private businesses and nonprofits are eligible for this funding. In some cases the funding can cover 90% of all costs, if you’re a nonprofit it’s 95%, and if you’re a BIPOC or woman-owned business, 100% of the cost can be covered. Additionally, utility incentives to install EV chargers can be used toward your match. If you’re curious about your business/nonprofit’s eligibility for funding related to EV charging stations, contact the Sustainability Coordinator, Stephen Dotson, at [email protected].
Pictured above: EV consultants and the Planning Department on a site visit to NECCA, where they hope to install more charging stations.
The Town previously installed both level 2 and 3 chargers in the High/Grove parking lot and Transportation Center, but other Town-owned sites are being analyzed for additional charging stations in the future. These sites include: the Depot St. parking lot by the train station, Living Memorial Park, West River Park, the parking lot at the Municipal Center/Library, and an expansion/reorganization of charging at the Transportation Center and High/Grove parking lot.
This program will run through 2024 and is supported by consultants from an electrical engineering background, who design and install these charging stations. The funding to support this has come from the State of Vermont’s Municipal Energy Resilience Program Mini-Grant. At the end of the program, the Town will have the designs and technical details necessary to go out to bid for the construction of these new charging stations on Town parcels.