As part of the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program), $700 million will be made available through grants for publicly accessible fueling and charging infrastructure within a community or projects to support the nation’s alternative fuel corridors.

The program will provide $2.5 billion over five years to a wide range of applicants, including cities, counties, local governments, and Tribes.

“The goal of this program is to rapidly improve access to alternative fuel options and ensure energy equity by doing so in areas that have been historically underserved,” said Steve Whaley, director of autogas business development with the Propane Education & Research Council.

The Biden-Harris Administration opened applications for the program on March 14 with the goal to fund electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure in communities across the country and along designated highways, interstates, and major roadways. 

This round of funding makes up to $700 million from fiscal years 2022 and 2023 funding available to strategically deploy EV charging and other alternative vehicle-fueling infrastructure projects in publicly accessible locations in urban and rural communities, as well as along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs).

“Whether agencies choose to implement propane autogas refueling stations or propane-powered recharging, the real winners here are the communities that benefit from the cleaner air,” said Whaley. “Today’s propane autogas engines reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 94 percent, and propane-powered generators for light commercial microgrids are significantly cleaner than diesel with near-zero NOx and carbon monoxide emissions, as well as a 24 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.”

Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.