California scores big clean transportation boost from Biden-Harris Administration

SACRAMENTO – The Biden-Harris Administration is sending hundreds of millions of dollars to California to help upgrade its transportation infrastructure.

California, along with Oregon and Washington, have secured $102 million to install charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations for zero-emissions trucks along Interstate 5 and other key freight corridors. An additional $47 million is going to other entities across the state for electric vehicle infrastructure. This is on top of more than $250 million recently announced for upgrading airports across California and supporting sustainable aviation fuel.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is helping California build our clean transportation infrastructure, faster. From installing truck chargers to improving our airports, this latest federal funding is another opportunity for America’s exports to look west for moving freight while fighting our climate crisis.”

The federal funding is key to Governor Newsom’s build more, faster agenda, which is channeling historic investments to remake California’s infrastructure and creating thousands of jobs. Find projects supporting your community at build.ca.gov.

Building a zero-emissions freight network

The West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project is an innovative and collaborative multi-state effort to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the trucking and logistics industries. The funding comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Trucks total 6% of vehicles on California’s roads, but they account for over 35% of the state’s transportation-generated emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides and a quarter of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas emissions.

The award will result in new, publicly accessible charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations. These stations will support the emissions-free movement of goods locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Construction of the new charging stations is expected to begin in 2026.

The new charging and fueling stations will support California’s implementation of a world-leading policy that requires an increasing percentage of truck sales to be ZEVs. In 2021, Oregon and Washington became the second and third states after California to adopt this policy. In 2023, one out of six new medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in California were zero-emission vehicles, exceeding the state’s ZEV sales goals two years ahead of schedule.

This funding will also support implementation of the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) standard adopted by California in 2023. Under the ACF, fleets across the state will start a phased transition to ZEVs and all new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales will be ZEVs by 2036.

Development of infrastructure under the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project will build on the significant progress for light-duty ZEV infrastructure in the three states. With over 14,000 direct current (DC) fast chargers, California, Oregon, and Washington account for one-third of the nation’s publicly accessible fast chargers for light-duty vehicles.

Funding for the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project complements other state-funded programs for zero-emission trucks. California has distributed more than $780 million to help fleet operators purchase zero-emission trucks and the state’s Climate Commitment includes over $10 billion to accelerate the ZEV transition and build ZEV charging and fueling infrastructure.

Improving California’s airports and cutting aviation emissions

In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Transportation also announced more than $250 million in funding for California airports and sustainable aviation fuels. California airports are receiving $51.6 million from the Airport Improvement Program, in addition to $78.2 million from the Airport Infrastructure Grants program.

Collectively, the funds can be used for airport planning, development, sustainability, terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, safety enhancements and noise compatibility projects at eligible airports.

Additionally, California companies are receiving more than $120 million from the federal Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition (FAST) grants program. These funds will support California’s transition to more sustainable aviation fuels and cutting aviation emissions – something the Governor called for in 2022.