WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg traveled to Takoma Park, Md., to unveil the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation—a direct result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to establish a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers. The secretaries made the announcement at RS Automotive Inc., a former gas station that now features 100% EV charging.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called the new office a "significant milestone" in the administration's overall EV goals. "Not only are we helping to protect our planet from the dangers of climate change, but we are also facilitating a shift in the accessibility of electric vehicle charging and creating good-paying jobs that support the manufacturing of sustainable technologies right here at home," Granholm said in a statement to CNN.
“Part of President Biden’s vision is to address two problems—one is the anxiety people might feel if they buy an electric vehicle and don’t necessarily have a place that is close by to be able to charge, and the second is the cost of electric vehicles overall,” she said at the event.
The two cabinet secretaries have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, which would help to distribute $7.5 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law that President Biden signed earlier this fall.
“We are embarking on a transformative path to modernize the way we get to around in this country, making sure all Americans have the option to choose electric vehicles and spend less at the pump while making our air healthier,” Granholm said.
Buttigieg and Granholm arrived in Takoma Park in an electric Ford Mustang Mach-E with Buttigieg behind the wheel. Granholm quipped that the Transportation Secretary is an excellent driver and that the ride over was smooth and quiet because they were in an all-electric car which is part of the federal fleet.
“Our two agencies will work together to deliver on President Biden’s historic investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, starting today with a joint project to build hundreds of thousands of electric vehicle charging stations, to tackle the climate crisis and create manufacturing and construction jobs at the same time,” Granholm said.
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