City officials and gas station owners were among attendees at an application workshop in Montgomery last week, all in the hopes for a piece of $80 million in federal grant money set aside for the construction of electric vehicle charging stations.

Approximately $7.5 billion was allocated in the 2021 Infrastructure bill for the construction of EV charging stations, nearly $80 million of which will be awarded to Alabama over the next five years. That money will in turn be awarded by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs as grants to applicants, many of whom raised several questions at a workshop to determine their eligibility.

“We have a great deal of dollars that has been awarded to ADECA over the next five years,” said Kenneth Boswell, director of ADECA. “You’re very much a part of helping us get the infrastructure in place that the state of Alabama needs in order to support industry. All of our auto manufactures that are located in the state are headed in the direction of electric vehicles.”

Known as the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure formula program, or NEVI, the program will see Alabama receive nearly $12 million in its first round of funding, and nearly $17 million every year after that through 2026. The first round of funding will prioritize projects along the interstate highway system, with eligible projects required to be located within one mile from interstate exits along designated highways, though applicants may request an exemption to this requirement.

Shonda Gray, special projects unit chief for NEVI, explained that while rural parts of the state will largely be excluded from the first round of funding, once enough charging stations are constructed along major interstates, rural areas could be targeted in future rounds.

“The program is designed to first build out the alternative fuel corridors, which are the interstates right now,” Gray said.