State officials outline Charge Vermont rollout, remaining funds and rural gaps in EV charging network

State officials on Wednesday briefed the House Committee on Transportation on Charge Vermont, the state’s multi-million-dollar program to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and said the program has put dozens of projects into construction but still has geographic gaps, especially for DC fast charging in rural areas.

Bronwyn Cook, the program lead supporting the Charge Vermont effort in the Community Planning and Revitalization Division of the Department of Housing and Community Development, said the Legislature in 2021 approved $10 million to expand the agency’s EV charging work and that a $7 million portion was structured as the Charge Vermont grant program. “DC fast charge is just 1 part of the whole network,” Cook told the committee, adding the program focuses mostly on level 1 and level 2 chargers in multi‑unit housing, workplaces and public “attractions,” and a separate competitive round targeted DC fast charging for long‑distance gaps.

Why it matters: officials said residential charging — especially at multi‑unit properties — is essential to reaching the state’s EV goals without overreliance on expensive DC fast chargers. The committee heard that local differences in utility costs and transformer capacity can discourage applicants in some rural counties, and that additional targeted funding and technical assistance will be needed to fill those gaps.

Key details from the presentation and committee discussion:

- Program structure and partnerships: The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) administers the program through its Community Planning and Revitalization Division, working in partnership with Green Mountain Power (GMP) as program administrator. The program also coordinates with VTrans and the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) for state workplace charging.

- Funding and statutory authority: Committee members were told…