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Frio County authorizes Lone Star Strategy Group to apply for USDOT EV charging grant
Summary
The Commissioners Court voted to let Lone Star Strategy Group LLC submit an application for the USDOT Charging and Fueling Infrastructure discretionary grant; a presenter said a South Texas coalition of about 10–11 counties qualifies for roughly $18.6 million in grant funding.
Frio County Commissioners on Sept. 9 voted to permit Lone Star Strategy Group LLC to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure discretionary grant program.
Judge Rochelle Camacho introduced the item and invited Zechariah of Lone Star Strategy Group to present. Zechariah described a regional effort, saying the firm ‘‘is in the EV charging installation and servicing business’’ and that a South Texas coalition of roughly 10–11 counties had been assembled. He told the court the mapping work showed Frio County and neighboring jurisdictions qualify and that, ‘‘As of today, roughly about 10 or 11 South Texas counties are coming together… We qualify for $18,600,000 worth of grant.’’
Zechariah said Lone Star would manage application work and that the county’s role at this step is limited to authorizing the firm to submit an application; he emphasized the application stage is preparatory and that there would be no direct cost to the county for filing. He asked commissioners, if the county later applied, to notify federal legislators in support of the application.
Commissioner Farisales moved to allow Lone Star Strategy Group to apply on Frio County’s behalf; the motion was seconded and passed.
Why it matters: The USDOT discretionary fund targets rural and corridor electrification; installing chargers on major corridors such as I‑35 can reduce geographic gaps in EV infrastructure and support future fleet electrification. Zechariah also said the proposal includes private–public participation and a local workforce-employment component.
Provenance: Presentation and motion recorded at SEG 939–SEG 1181 (presentation begins with the judge’s item introduction; Zechariah’s comments and the motion appear in the transcript at SEG 960–SEG 1181).
Ending: Commissioners approved the application authorization; staff said Lone Star will handle filing and the county may be asked later to provide supporting documentation or local commitments if the project moves forward.
