[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5751 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5751
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 4, 2020
Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Ms. Moore, Mr. Soto, Mr. Grijalva,
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Ms. Jayapal) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in
low-income communities and communities of color, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The transportation sector is the largest single 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, including over 55 percent of
total nitrogen oxide emissions, leading to poor air quality and
negative health impacts, particularly in urban areas.
(3) Increasing the deployment of electric vehicles 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, electric
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 within urban areas will ensure that our cities
are ready to meet the demands of expected electric vehicle
deployment in the short-term and long-term.
(6) Low-income communities and communities of color bear
disproportionate climate change and pollution burdens, and
therefore, these communities must be among the first to receive
investment relating to new technologies and infrastructure that
address the climate crisis and mitigate localized environmental
pollution.
SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN URBAN
AREAS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Assessment.--The Secretary shall conduct an assessment
of the state of, challenges to, and opportunities for the
deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in urban
areas, particularly in underserved or disadvantaged
communities.
(2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate a report on the results of the
assessment conducted under paragraph (1), which shall--
(A) describe the state of deployment with respect
to electric vehicle charging infrastructure in major
urban areas throughout the United States, particularly
in underserved or disadvantaged communities,
including--
(i) with respect to Level 2 charging
stations and DC Fast charging stations--
(I) the number of existing and
planned stations per capita for
charging individually owned light-duty
and medium-duty vehicles;
(II) the number of existing and
planned stations for charging public
and private fleet vehicles, rideshare
vehicles, and medium-duty and heavy-
duty equipment and vehicles; and
(III) the number of stations
installed in multi-unit dwellings or
available to occupants of multi-unit
dwellings;
(IV) ownership models for stations
located in publicly owned and privately
owned residential multi-unit dwellings,
commercial buildings, public and
private parking areas, and curbside
locations;
(V) how such stations are financed;
and
(VI) the rates charged at such
stations; and
(ii) policies, plans, and programs that
cities, States, utilities, and private entities
are using to encourage greater deployment of
electric vehicles and associated electric
vehicle charging infrastructure;
(B) identify the current barriers to expanding
deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
in urban areas, particularly in underserved or
disadvantaged communities, including any challenges
relating to charging infrastructure deployment in
publicly owned and privately owned multi-unit
dwellings;
(C) identify and analyze the policies and
procedures used by State and local governments and
private entities to increase deployment of electric
vehicle charging infrastructure in urban areas,
particularly in underserved or disadvantaged
communities, including with respect to--
(i) public outreach and engagement
strategy; and
(ii) increasing deployment of charging
infrastructure in publicly owned and privately
owned multi-unit dwellings;
(D) identify the number of electric vehicle
charging stations per capita at locations within each
major urban area in the United States with detail at
the level of zip codes and census tracts; and
(E) describe the methodology used to obtain the
information in the report.
(3) Methodology.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce in the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources in the Senate on the methodology that will be used to
conduct the assessment under paragraph (1) and produce the
report under paragraph (2).
(b) Five-Year Update Assessment.--Not later than five 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 Representatives and the Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report, which
shall--
(A) update the information described in subsection
(a)(2); and
(B) include a description of case studies and key
lessons learned after the report under subsection
(a)(2) was submitted with respect to expanding the
deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure
in urban areas, particularly in underserved or
disadvantaged communities.
SEC. 4. ENSURING PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR UNDERSERVED AND DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES.
In administering a relevant program, the Secretary shall ensure, to
the extent practicable, that such program provides access to electric
vehicle infrastructure, addresses clean transportation needs, and
provides improved air quality in underserved or disadvantaged
communities.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Electric vehicle charging infrastructure.--The term
``electric vehicle charging infrastructure'' means electric
vehicle supply equipment, including any conductors, electric
vehicle connectors, attachment plugs, and all other fittings,
devices, power outlets, or apparatuses installed specifically
for the purposes of delivering energy to an electric vehicle.
(2) Major urban area.--The term ``major urban area'' means
a metropolitan statistical area within the United States with
an estimated population that is greater than or equal to
1,500,000.
(3) Relevant program.--The term ``relevant program'' means
a program of the Department of Energy, including--
(A) the State energy program under part D of title
III the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C.
6321 et seq.);
(B) the Clean Cities program;
(C) the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant Program established under section 542 of the
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C.
17152);
(D) loan guarantees made pursuant to title XVII of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16511 et
seq.); and
(E) such other programs as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(5) Underserved or disadvantaged community.--The term
``underserved or disadvantaged community'' means a community
located in a zip code within a census tract that is identified
as--
(A) a low-income urban community;
(B) an urban community of color;
(C) having a significantly low number of electric
vehicle charging stations per capita; or
(D) any other urban community that the Secretary
determines is disproportionately vulnerable to, or
bears a disproportionate burden of, any combination of
economic, social, and environmental stressors.
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