I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4908 
To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a grant program 
to increase the availability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure 
in environmental justice communities, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 3, 2021 
Mr. CROW (for himself, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. TORRES of New York, and Ms. 
MOORE of Wisconsin) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
grant program to increase the availability of electric vehi-
cle charging infrastructure in environmental justice com-
munities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Vehicle 
Charging Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) the transportation sector is the highest 
emitting sector of greenhouse gases in the United 
States; 
(2) transportation is a significant source of 
toxic air pollutants; 
(3) electrification is considered 1 of the most 
feasible and affordable opportunities to decarbonize 
transportation in the near-term, and thus reduce 
pollutants harmful to public health; 
(4) the adoption of electric vehicles is depend-
ent on adequate access to electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure; 
(5) publicly available electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure has been distributed inequitably, and 
not all people of the United States have the ability 
to access electric vehicle charging infrastructure at 
home or at work; 
(6) range anxiety and a lack of access to elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure are significant 
barriers to the widespread adoption of electric vehi-
cles; 
(7) access to electric vehicle charging infra-
structure differs from proximity to electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure; 
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(8) environmental justice communities face sev-
eral barriers to accessing electric vehicles, electric 
vehicle charging infrastructure, and funding pro-
grams to install electric vehicle charging infrastruc-
ture, including— 
(A) the high cost of, and a lack of knowl-
edge about, electric vehicles; 
(B) the high cost of— 
(i) level 2 electric vehicle charging in-
frastructure; and 
(ii) fast charging electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure; 
(C) a lack of awareness of the availability 
of— 
(i) electric vehicle charging infrastruc-
ture; and 
(ii) funding programs to install elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure; 
(D) a lack of technical support and up- 
front funding for the installation of electric ve-
hicle charging infrastructure; 
(E) a low level of homeownership in envi-
ronmental justice communities; 
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(F) the high percentage of individuals and 
families in environmental justice communities 
who reside in multi-unit dwellings; 
(G) linguistic isolation; and 
(H) the short timelines for electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure projects; and 
(9) effective programs for environmental justice 
communities to access electric vehicle charging infra-
structure and funding programs for the installation 
of electric vehicle charging infrastructure need to be 
targeted to overcome the barriers described in para-
graph (8). 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMUNITY
BENEFIT
AGREEMENT.—The 
term ‘‘community benefit agreement’’ means a con-
tract between 1 or more community-based organiza-
tions representing residents of an environmental jus-
tice community and an eligible entity carrying out 
an eligible project to ensure that the eligible project 
creates— 
(A) employment opportunities for local 
workers in the environmental justice commu-
nity; and 
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(B) other opportunities or benefits for the 
residents of the environmental justice commu-
nity. 
(2) ELECTRIC
VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘electric 
vehicle’’ means a vehicle that is powered primarily 
by an electric motor drawing current from recharge-
able batteries, including battery electric vehicles and 
plug-in hybrid vehicles. 
(3) ELECTRIC
VEHICLE
MAKE-READY
INFRA-
STRUCTURE.—The term ‘‘electric vehicle make-ready 
infrastructure’’ means the electrical infrastructure 
needed to connect and serve electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure, including— 
(A) raceway or conduit; 
(B) sufficient electrical panel service ca-
pacity; 
(C) overcurrent protection; 
(D) devices; 
(E) wire; and 
(F) suitable termination points, such as a 
junction box with a service loop. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means each of the following: 
(A) A community-based organization. 
(B) A nonprofit organization. 
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(C) A local, regional, State, or Tribal gov-
ernment. 
(D) A metropolitan planning organization. 
(E) Any other entity responsible for local 
transportation planning and transportation 
projects. 
(5) ELIGIBLE
PROJECT.—The term ‘‘eligible 
project’’ means a project described in section 4(d) 
that is carried out in, and addresses the electric ve-
hicle charging infrastructure needs of, an environ-
mental justice community. 
(6) ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘environmental justice community’’ means 
a community consisting primarily of minority, low- 
income, or Tribal populations that experience, or are 
at risk of experiencing, higher or more adverse 
human health or environmental effects as compared 
to other populations. 
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
SEC. 4. ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a grant program to provide grants to eligible enti-
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ties for projects that address barriers to access to electric 
vehicle charging infrastructure faced by environmental 
justice communities. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity desiring a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the grant pro-
gram established under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) use a public process to identify known bar-
riers to access to electric vehicle charging infrastruc-
ture faced by environmental justice communities, in-
cluding the barriers described in section 2(8); 
(2)(A) perform meaningful stakeholder outreach 
with community-based organizations, environmental 
justice groups, or other community members— 
(i) to identify or design eligible projects; 
and 
(ii) to identify eligible entities to carry out 
those eligible projects through the use of a 
grant under this section; and 
(B) compensate the community-based organiza-
tions, environmental justice groups, and other com-
munity members that respond to that outreach and 
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assist or otherwise participate in an activity de-
scribed in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A); 
(3) provide to eligible entities in the application 
process and in project execution, including with re-
spect to identifying private and utility partner-
ships— 
(A) resources to conduct community-needs 
assessments; 
(B) resources for planning; 
(C) technical support; and 
(D) case management guidance; 
(4) design project timelines that— 
(A) take into account stakeholder input; 
and 
(B) account for the additional time needed 
to complete eligible projects in environmental 
justice communities; 
(5) adopt project criteria— 
(A) to reduce the risk of gentrification of, 
and displacement of individuals in, environ-
mental justice communities as a result of an eli-
gible project carried out using a grant provided 
under this section; 
(B) to increase community engagement 
throughout the duration of an eligible project; 
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(C) to increase the involvement of commu-
nity-based organizations and unionized labor, 
where possible, in selecting, designing, and car-
rying out eligible projects; 
(D) to prioritize investments directly into 
environmental justice communities; 
(E) to reduce air pollution and other im-
pacts from vehicles with internal combustion 
engines in environmental justice communities; 
and 
(F) to encourage partnerships with utility 
or private electric vehicle make-ready infra-
structure programs, as applicable; 
(6) aim to increase wealth in environmental jus-
tice communities— 
(A) through community or public owner-
ship of any assets of a completed eligible 
project that are installed or developed in car-
rying out that eligible project; 
(B) through the creation of employment 
opportunities for local workers in environmental 
justice communities; 
(C) by encouraging eligible entities receiv-
ing a grant under this section to enter into 
community benefit agreements; and 
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(D) by encouraging participation by local 
small businesses, particularly minority- and 
women-owned small businesses; and 
(7) provide grant funds at the time of infra-
structure purchase to each eligible entity that re-
ceives a grant under this section. 
(d) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—An eligible entity that re-
ceives a grant under this section may use the grant funds 
for— 
(1) projects that develop or implement a plan to 
install publicly available electric vehicle charging in-
frastructure, including— 
(A) projects for the planning for, or instal-
lation of— 
(i) electric vehicle charging infrastruc-
ture at grocery stores, convenience stores, 
markets, other retail establishments, exist-
ing fueling stations, local government fa-
cilities, or office buildings or other work-
places; 
(ii) fast charging hubs; 
(iii) on-street chargers; 
(iv) electric vehicle charging infra-
structure at community land trust loca-
tions; and 
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(v) electric vehicle charging infra-
structure at public schools and parks; 
(B) projects for the incorporation of elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure or electric 
vehicle make-ready infrastructure into the con-
struction of new buildings or other infrastruc-
ture; 
(C) projects to retrofit existing buildings, 
especially multi-unit dwellings, with electric ve-
hicle charging infrastructure or electric vehicle 
make-ready infrastructure; 
(2) projects to support shared electric mobility 
and micromobility options, such as electric car, bike, 
and scooter share; 
(3) projects or rebate programs to provide an 
electric vehicle charger and funds for the installation 
of, and technical assistance relating to, that charger 
to any resident of an environmental justice commu-
nity who— 
(A) purchases an electric vehicle; and 
(B) has the ability to use residential elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure; 
(4) projects to develop and implement education 
programs that emphasize the economic, environ-
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mental, and public health advantages of using an 
electric vehicle, including— 
(A) by providing information to residents 
of an environmental justice community on the 
usefulness of electric vehicles and electric car 
share systems via ride and drive events; 
(B) by developing electric vehicle dealer-
ship education programs; 
(C) by developing an electric vehicle edu-
cational curriculum for schools; and 
(D) by creating an electric vehicle informa-
tion website and printed materials for distribu-
tion to individuals who lack internet access that 
may include— 
(i) a guide to the makes and models 
of electric vehicles in multiple languages; 
(ii) information about the locations of 
publicly available electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure and directions to those loca-
tions; and 
(iii) free consulting services for poten-
tial buyers of an electric vehicle; 
(5) projects to transition existing vehicle fleets 
of States and units of regional and local government 
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that are in use in environmental justice communities 
to electric vehicles; 
(6) projects to train the staff of municipalities 
and other units of regional and local government, in-
cluding inspectors, on the use of electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure; and 
(7) any other project that, in the determination 
of the Secretary— 
(A) addresses known barriers to access to 
electric vehicle charging infrastructure faced by 
environmental justice communities, including 
the barriers described in section 2(4); and 
(B) satisfies any other applicable require-
ment that the Secretary determines to be ap-
propriate and consistent with the requirements 
described in subsection (c). 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
on which the grant program under subsection (a) is estab-
lished, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2026, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation and Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate and the Committees on En-
ergy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Transpor-
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tation, a report describing the eligible projects that re-
ceived funding under the grant program and the outcomes 
of, and any issues encountered in carrying out, those eligi-
ble projects, including— 
(1) the barriers identified pursuant to the pub-
lic process described in subsection (c)(1); 
(2) the successes and failures of anti-displace-
ment measures in those eligible projects; 
(3) the types of projects that achieved success 
based on established grant program metrics; 
(4) the types of projects that were most fre-
quently pursued by eligible entities; 
(5) best practices and lessons learned from 
serving an environmental justice community; 
(6) a breakdown of grant funds used by— 
(A) project type; and 
(B) 
environmental 
justice 
community 
served; 
(7) the quantity of electric vehicle charging in-
frastructure installed in environmental justice com-
munities using funds made available under the grant 
program; 
(8) the frequency of use of publicly available 
electric vehicle charging infrastructure installed 
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using funds made available under the grant pro-
gram; 
(9) the number of electric vehicles purchased by 
residents of environmental justice communities in 
which electric vehicle charging infrastructure is in-
stalled using a grant provided under the grant pro-
gram; 
(10) additional barriers to accessing electric ve-
hicle charging infrastructure for residents of envi-
ronmental justice communities; 
(11) 
any 
needed 
adjustments 
to 
project 
timelines to facilitate greater project success in envi-
ronmental justice communities; 
(12) the number of jobs created and number of 
community members employed by eligible projects; 
and 
(13) any local air quality changes over time in 
communities where eligible projects are carried out. 
(f) DATA COLLECTION.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall work 
with the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator 
of the Energy Information Administration to collect 
data on the access to electric vehicle charging infra-
structure in environmental justice communities, in-
cluding— 
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(A) the distance from an average house-
hold in an environmental justice community to 
publicly available electric vehicle charging infra-
structure; 
(B) the number and percentage of resi-
dents of each environmental justice community 
in which an eligible project was carried out 
using a grant provided under this section who 
have access to, and use, electric vehicle charg-
ing infrastructure that was installed in that en-
vironmental justice community using funds pro-
vided under the grant program; 
(C) to the maximum extent practicable, the 
number and percentage of residents of each en-
vironmental justice community described in sub-
paragraph (B) who have access to, and use, 
electric vehicle charging infrastructure that— 
(i) is located in the environmental jus-
tice community but was not installed using 
funds provided under the grant program; 
or 
(ii) is located in another community; 
and 
(D) to the maximum extent practicable, 
the number and percentage of residents of all 
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environmental justice communities who have ac-
cess to, and use, electric vehicle charging infra-
structure that— 
(i) is located in an environmental jus-
tice community and was installed using 
funds provided under the grant program; 
(ii) is located in an environmental jus-
tice community but was not installed using 
funds provided under the grant program; 
or 
(iii) is located in another community. 
(2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The data collected 
under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly available 
on the website of the Department of Transportation. 
(3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the grant program under subsection 
(a) is established, and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives a report describing the 
data collection efforts under paragraph (1), the data 
collected under that paragraph, and any patterns, 
trends, or changes identified by the Secretary. 
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(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section, including for any administrative costs, 
$75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
Æ 
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