I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1221 
To increase deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in low- 
income communities and communities of color, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 
Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. WELCH, Mr. CARSON, Mr. 
CLEAVER, Mr. JONES, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. SIRES, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. SPEIER, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. 
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. RYAN, Mr. POCAN, Ms. 
MENG, Ms. WATERS, Mr. RASKIN, and Ms. MATSUI) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To increase deployment of electric vehicle charging infra-
structure in low-income communities and communities 
of color, 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 ‘‘Electric Vehicles for 
Underserved Communities Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) The transportation sector is the largest sin-
gle source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United 
States. 
(2) The transportation sector is also a major 
source of air pollution in the United States, includ-
ing over 55 percent of total nitrogen oxide emissions, 
leading to poor air quality and negative health im-
pacts, particularly in urban areas. 
(3) Increasing the deployment of electric vehi-
cles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure is an 
essential component of combating climate change, 
decarbonizing the economy, and reducing greenhouse 
gas emissions and health-harming air pollution in 
the United States. 
(4) Industries relating to electric vehicles, elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the larger 
clean energy economy are substantial and diverse 
sources of good jobs and significant contributors to 
economic growth. 
(5) A substantial increase in electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure, including publicly accessible 
charging stations, will ensure that our communities 
are ready to meet the demands of expected electric 
vehicle adoption as we decarbonize our economy. 
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(6) Low-income communities, communities of 
color, and Tribal communities bear disproportionate 
climate change and pollution burdens, yet have his-
torically received the least investment in clean tech-
nologies and resilient infrastructure. Therefore, such 
communities must be among the first to receive in-
vestment relating to new technologies and infra-
structure that address the climate crisis and miti-
gate localized environmental pollution. 
SEC. 3. EXPANDING ACCESS TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN UN-
DERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED COMMU-
NITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary shall conduct 
an assessment of the state of, challenges to, and op-
portunities for the deployment of electric vehicle 
charging infrastructure in underserved or disadvan-
taged communities located throughout the United 
States. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Sen-
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ate a report on the results of the assessment con-
ducted under paragraph (1), which shall— 
(A) describe the state of deployment of 
electric vehicle charging infrastructure in un-
derserved or disadvantaged communities located 
in urban, suburban, and rural areas, including 
description of— 
(i) the state of deployment of electric 
vehicle charging infrastructure that is— 
(I) publicly accessible; 
(II) installed in or available to 
occupants of public and affordable 
housing; 
(III) installed in or available to 
occupants of multi-unit dwellings; 
(IV) available to public sector 
and commercial fleets; and 
(V) installed in or available at 
places of work; 
(ii) policies, plans, and programs that 
cities, States, utilities, and private entities 
are using to encourage greater deployment 
and usage of electric vehicles and the asso-
ciated electric vehicle charging infrastruc-
ture, including programs to encourage de-
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ployment of publicly accessible electric ve-
hicle charging stations and electric vehicle 
charging stations available to residents in 
publicly owned and privately owned multi- 
unit dwellings; 
(iii) ownership models for Level 2 
charging stations and DC FAST charging 
stations located in residential multi-unit 
dwellings, commercial buildings, and pub-
licly accessible areas; 
(iv) mechanisms for financing electric 
vehicle charging stations; and 
(v) rates charged for the use of Level 
2 charging stations and DC FAST charg-
ing stations; 
(B) identify current barriers to expanding 
deployment of electric vehicle charging infra-
structure in underserved or disadvantaged com-
munities in urban, suburban, and rural areas, 
including barriers to expanding deployment of 
publicly accessible electric vehicle charging in-
frastructure; 
(C) identify the potential for, and barriers 
to, recruiting and entering into contracts with 
locally owned small and disadvantaged busi-
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nesses, including women and minority-owned 
businesses, to deploy electric vehicle charging 
infrastructure in underserved or disadvantaged 
communities in urban, suburban, and rural 
areas; 
(D) compile and provide an analysis of 
best practices and policies used by State and 
local governments, nonprofit organizations, and 
private entities to increase deployment of elec-
tric vehicle charging infrastructure in under-
served or disadvantaged communities in urban, 
suburban, and rural areas, including best prac-
tices and policies relating to— 
(i) public outreach and engagement; 
(ii) increasing deployment of publicly 
accessible electric vehicle charging infra-
structure; and 
(iii) increasing deployment of electric 
vehicle charging infrastructure in publicly 
owned and privately owned multi-unit 
dwellings; 
(E) to the extent practicable, enumerate 
and identify in urban, suburban, and rural 
areas within each State with detail at the level 
of ZIP Codes and census tracts— 
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(i) the number of existing and 
planned publicly accessible Level 2 charg-
ing stations and DC FAST charging sta-
tions for individually owned light-duty and 
medium-duty electric vehicles; 
(ii) the number of existing and 
planned Level 2 charging stations and DC 
FAST charging stations for public sector 
and commercial fleet electric vehicles and 
medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles; 
and 
(iii) the number and type of electric 
vehicle charging stations installed in or 
available to occupants of public and afford-
able housing; and 
(F) describe the methodology used to ob-
tain the information provided in the report. 
(b) FIVE-YEAR UPDATE ASSESSMENT.—Not later 
than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall— 
(1) update the assessment conducted under 
subsection (a)(1); and 
(2) make public and submit to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep-
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resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Nat-
ural Resources of the Senate a report, which shall— 
(A) update the information required by 
subsection (a)(2); and 
(B) include a description of case studies 
and key lessons learned after the date on which 
the report under subsection (a)(2) was sub-
mitted with respect to expanding the deploy-
ment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure 
in underserved or disadvantaged communities in 
urban, suburban, and rural areas. 
SEC. 4. ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING EQUITY PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish 
a program, to be known as the EV Charging Equity Pro-
gram, to increase deployment and accessibility of electric 
vehicle charging infrastructure in underserved or dis-
advantaged communities by— 
(1) providing technical assistance to eligible en-
tities described in subsection (e); and 
(2) awarding grants on a competitive basis to 
eligible entities described in subsection (e) for 
projects that increase such deployment and accessi-
bility of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, in-
cluding projects that are— 
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(A) publicly accessible; 
(B) located within or are easily accessible 
to residents of— 
(i) public or affordable housing; 
(ii) multi-unit dwellings; or 
(iii) single-family homes; and 
(C) located within or easily accessible to 
places of work, provided that such electric vehi-
cle charging infrastructure is accessible no 
fewer than 5 days per week. 
(b) COST SHARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the amount of a grant awarded under 
this section for a project shall not exceed 80 percent 
of project costs. 
(2) SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.—The amount of a 
grant awarded under this section for a project that 
involves, as a primary focus, single-family homes 
shall not exceed 60 percent of project costs. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Not more than 15 percent of the 
amount awarded for grants under this section in a fiscal 
year shall be awarded for projects that involve, as a pri-
mary focus, single-family homes. 
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(d) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants and providing 
technical assistance under this section, the Secretary shall 
give priority to projects that— 
(1) provide the greatest benefit to the greatest 
number of people within an underserved or dis-
advantaged community; 
(2) incorporate renewable energy resources; 
(3) maximize local job creation, particularly 
among low-income, women, and minority workers; or 
(4) utilize or involve locally owned small and 
disadvantaged businesses, including women and mi-
nority-owned businesses. 
(e) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible for a grant or 
technical assistance under the EV Charging Equity 
Program, an entity shall be— 
(A) an individual or household that is the 
owner of where a project will be carried out; 
(B) a State, local, Tribal, or Territorial 
government, or an agency or department there-
of; 
(C) an electric utility, including— 
(i) a municipally owned electric utility; 
(ii) a publicly-owned electric utility; 
(iii) an investor-owned utility; and 
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(iv) a rural electric cooperative; 
(D) a nonprofit organization or institution; 
(E) a public housing authority; 
(F) an institution of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 22 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); 
(G) a local small or disadvantaged busi-
ness; or 
(H) a partnership between any number of 
eligible entities described in subparagraphs (A) 
through (G). 
(2) UPDATES.—The Secretary may add to or 
otherwise revise the list of eligible entities under 
paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such 
an addition or revision would be beneficial to in-
creasing deployment and accessibility of electric ve-
hicle charging infrastructure in underserved or dis-
advantaged communities. 
(f) PUBLIC NOTICE AND REQUEST FOR APPLICA-
TIONS.—The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Reg-
ister, and such other publications as the Secretary con-
siders to be appropriate, a notice and request for applica-
tions to carry out projects under the EV Charging Equity 
Program. 
(g) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—In carrying out the EV 
Charging Equity Program, the Secretary shall estab-
lish an education and outreach component of such 
Program to ensure that information regarding such 
Program and the benefits and opportunities for elec-
tric vehicle charging is made available to individuals 
and relevant entities that live within or serve under-
served or disadvantaged communities. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—At a minimum, the edu-
cation and outreach component of the EV Charging 
Equity Program established under this subsection 
shall include— 
(A) the development and dissemination of 
an electric vehicle charging resource guide that 
is— 
(i) maintained electronically on a 
website; 
(ii) available to the public, free of 
charge; and 
(iii) directed specifically towards indi-
viduals and relevant entities that live with-
in or serve underserved or disadvantaged 
communities; 
(B) targeted outreach towards, and coordi-
nated public outreach with, relevant local, 
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