While officials in other states jumped at the chance to use federal money to boost their electric vehicle charging offerings, West Virginia's officials appear downright embarrassed to have to figure out how to spend the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act money.
According to a report by WV MetroNews, state Department of Highways Chief Economic Development Officer Perry Keller felt compelled to tell Mountain State residents the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure plan is mandatory and not something the DOH necessarily would have gone out and embraced on its own accord, but they are now going to make the most of the initiative.
What a shame.
West Virginia is supposed to get $46 million over the next five years to implement this plan in a way that serves both interstate travelers and local residents who have made the transition to EVs. State officials are talking as though they are being forced into something that is unpleasant at best.
Online memes about coal trains full of "electric vehicle fuel" notwithstanding, no one would argue that it is a win all around for West Virginia to have federal help meeting the needs of all drivers. Imagine the consequences if we were left to our own devices and some of the travelers and potential new residents our lawmakers pretend they want to attract are unable even to do something as simple as refuel their means of transportation.
"This is a priority within the Federal Highway Administration and we are prepared to put these things up for the traveling public, for their use, and we hope to do it as quickly as possible," Keller eventually conceded.
One suspects the bit about working quickly might have more to do with West Virginia's reputation as a slow and untrustworthy spender of federal dollars than any desire to get all these EV charging stations in place.
Drivers across the country are making the switch. Drivers here in West Virginia are making the switch. Bureaucrats and politicians must, as well.
--The Intelligencer. February 26, 2024