Lawmakers Push For Electric Vehicle Chargers At National Parks

Representative Mike Levin(D-CA) has introduced legislation to promote the use of zero-emissions vehicles by requiring certain public lands to include charging stations. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The bill is entitled the Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act.

According to a release from Levin’s office, the transportation industry is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. Light duty vehicles, including passenger cars and light-duty trucks, account for 60 percent of these greenhouse gas emissions.

The bill would establish a Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act Initiative, wherein the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the National Park Service (NPS), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) would:

• Form agreements with companies and non-profits to secure electric charging and hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure for National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service lands

• Acquire zero-emission vehicles and shuttle busses for National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service fleets

• Promote the availability of zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure on National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service lands.

“Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector are destroying our planet, polluting the air we breathe, and driving the climate crisis,” said Representative Levin in the release. “It is imperative that we expedite the transition to cleaner cars and expand the charging infrastructure they require. We can either embrace Zero Emission Vehicles and the clean energy jobs they create, or let other countries take the lead and reap the economic reward.”

The National Park Service (NPS) announced earlier this month a plan to install 100 new electric vehicle charging stations at a variety of parks across the country, made possible through a partnership with BMW.

“Public-private partnerships like this one help the National Park Service address opportunities and challenges as we begin our second century of stewardship of America’s iconic historic, cultural, and natural resources. This is a perfect opportunity for more people to disconnect from the daily routine and plug into an outdoor experience of a lifetime,” NPS explained in a release.