Legislative subcommittee delays vote on electric-vehicle charging staffing as federal funding shifts

The legislative subcommittee on agency budgets postponed a vote on DP 5010 — a decision package to fund six positions and project delivery work for electric-vehicle charging and related federal discretionary transportation programs — after a lengthy debate over whether the federal funding streams behind the proposal will survive a new administration.

Committee members said the future of the NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) and other federally funded discretionary programs is uncertain, and they asked the Montana Department of Transportation to return with a narrower, costed option showing two positions and the dollar impacts before voting. The committee agreed to delay the decision to the next day so staff and the department could provide the requested numbers and a prioritized list of positions.

Why it matters: DP 5010 would fund staff and project delivery capacity to implement federal discretionary programs that have driven rapid buildout of EV charging and other infrastructure nationwide. Committee members said they support the policy goals in principle but were not prepared to budget permanent staff while federal program requirements and funding levels remain unsettled.

Department officials told the committee they expect sustained federal infrastructure investment overall, but that specific discretionary programs and their criteria (including NEVI and the Carbon Reduction Program) may be changed or rescinded by the federal administration. Director Dorrington said some programs are likely to continue in some form and that administering grants and delivering projects is labor- and time-intensive.

Representative Nancy Powers said she supported moving forward if federal funding remained available, noting Montana needs more EV charging to encourage adoption. Senator Ellis and others disagreed with funding all six positions now; Ellis said he preferred limiting the state commitment until federal policy and funding stabilize.

The committee did not adopt or reject DP 5010. Instead members agreed that the department would identify which two positions (if any) should be prioritized, estimate the salary-and-benefits cost, and return with that information the following day.

Quotes "If the money's there, I think we ought to spend it," Representative Powers said in support of the request. "If it's not there, we won't be able to spend it."

"I'll be a hard no on this," Senator Ellis said, adding he preferred a smaller and more certain state commitment given federal uncertainty.

"We're going to have to deliver rapidly on projects," Director Dorrington said, describing the labor involved in administering federal grants and preparing projects for construction.

Ending The subcommittee recessed the matter until its next convening; staff said they would produce a prioritized staffing list and cost estimates so members could vote with dollar amounts in hand.