Federal funding over the next five years will help New York build electric vehicle charging stations across the state, including Long Island.
The $175 million is part of the Biden administration’s push to create a national network of electric vehicle charging stations. Their goal is to have 500,000 stations nationwide installed by 2030.
This comes as gas prices have reached record highs in the last few weeks.
The state is eligible to receive $26 million this year in a first phase of funding, part of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package passed by Congress last summer.
Officials are still unsure about the exact number and locations for the new stations in New York, but a plan is due to the federal government by August 1. The state already has 2,900 ports.
Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island lead the state in electric vehicle registration. Recent state data shows Suffolk is the top county with 14,856, and Nassau ranks second with nearly 12,589 electric vehicles.
Last November, Governor Kathy Hochul announced her goal of adding 4,745 electric vehicle ports on the island by 2025.