Vermont transportation official says federal highway, transit funding secure; NEVI charging work on hold pending new federal guidance

Jana Morse, director of finance and administration at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, told the Vermont House Appropriations Committee on April 17 that the agency has access to its federal transportation funds and has no immediate concerns for formula funding, while work on electric vehicle chargers funded through the federal NEVI program is paused pending new U.S. Department of Transportation guidance.

Morse said the agency’s federal funding picture is “great,” and that “we have access to all of our federal funds and, we have no concerns,” while explaining how different federal programs flow to the agency. She described most highway and transit money as formula funds authorized under the five-year Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which covers federal fiscal years 2022 through 2026 and expires Sept. 30, 2026.

Why it matters: federal formula dollars fund the bulk of Vermont’s capital transportation program — supporting highways, transit, rail and safety programs — and interruptions or constraints would affect project schedules…