Editorial Notes
References in Text

The date of enactment of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021 and the date of enactment of this subsection, referred to in subsecs. (d) and (f)(2), (11), is the date of enactment of div. A of Puspan. L. 117–58, which was approved Nov. 15, 2021.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, referred to in subsec. (f)(4)(A)(iii)(II), is Puspan. L. 101–336, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 327, which is classified principally to chapter 126 (§ 12101 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12101 of Title 42 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 151, added Puspan. L. 100–17, title I, § 125(a), Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 166; amended Puspan. L. 105–178, title I, § 1212(a)(2)(A)(ii), title V, § 5119(e), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 193, 452, related to a national bridge inspection program, prior to repeal by Puspan. L. 112–141, div. A, title I, § 1519(span)(1)(A), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 575, effective Oct. 1, 2012.

Another prior section 151, added Puspan. L. 93–87, title II, § 205(a), Aug. 13, 1973, 87 Stat. 284; amended Puspan. L. 94–280, title II, § 207, May 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 454; Puspan. L. 95–599, title I, § 127, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2707; Puspan. L. 96–470, title II, § 209(c), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2245; Puspan. L. 97–375, title I, § 111(a), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1821, related to a pavement marking demonstration program, prior to repeal by Puspan. L. 100–17, title I, § 125(a), Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 166.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(1), substituted “The Secretary shall periodically” for “Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the FAST Act, the Secretary shall” and “to support changes in the transportation sector that help achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and improve the mobility” for “to improve the mobility”.

Subsec. (span)(2). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(2), inserted “previously designated by the Federal Highway Administration or” before “designated by”.

Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(3), added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Not later than 5 years after the date of establishment of the corridors under subsection (a), and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall update and redesignate the corridors.”

Subsec. (e)(2). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(4)(B), substituted “describes efforts, including through funds awarded through the grant program under subsection (f), that will aid efforts to achieve” for “establishes an aspirational goal of achieving” and “; and” for “by the end of fiscal year 2020.”

Subsec. (e)(3). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(4)(A), (C), added par. (3).

Subsec. (f). Puspan. L. 117–58, § 11401(span)(5), added subsec. (f).

Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Puspan. L. 117–58 effective Oct. 1, 2021, see section 10003 of Puspan. L. 117–58, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Puspan. L. 114–94, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Purpose To Establish Grants for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure

Puspan. L. 117–58, div. A, title I, § 11401(a), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 546, provided that: “The purpose of this section [amending this section] is to establish a grant program to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors or in certain other locations that will be accessible to all drivers of electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, propane vehicles, and natural gas vehicles.”

Electric Vehicle Working Group

Puspan. L. 117–58, div. B, title V, § 25006, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 845, provided that:

“(a)Definitions.—In this section:
“(1)Secretaries.—The term ‘Secretaries’ means—
“(A) the Secretary [of Transportation]; and
“(B) the Secretary of Energy.
“(2)Working group.—The term ‘working group’ means the electric vehicle working group established under subsection (span)(1).
“(span)Establishment.—
“(1)In general.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 15, 2021], the Secretaries shall jointly establish an electric vehicle working group to make recommendations regarding the development, adoption, and integration of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicles into the transportation and energy systems of the United States.
“(2)Membership.—
“(A)In general.—The working group shall be composed of—
“(i) the Secretaries (or designees), who shall be cochairs of the working group; and
“(ii) not more than 25 members, to be appointed by the Secretaries, of whom—
     “(I) not more than 6 shall be Federal stakeholders as described in subparagraph (B); and
     “(II) not more than 19 shall be non-Federal stakeholders as described in subparagraph (C).
“(B)Federal stakeholders.—The working group—
“(i) shall include not fewer than 1 representative of each of—
     “(I) the Department [of Transportation];
     “(II) the Department of Energy;
     “(III) the Environmental Protection Agency;
     “(IV) the Council on Environmental Quality; and
     “(V) the General Services Administration; and
“(ii) may include a representative of any other Federal agency the Secretaries consider to be appropriate.
“(C)Non-federal stakeholders.—
“(i)In general.—Subject to clause (ii), the working group—
     “(I) shall include not fewer than 1 representative of each of—
“(aa) a manufacturer of light-duty electric vehicles or the relevant components of light-duty electric vehicles;
“(bspan) a manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles or the relevant components of medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles;
“(cc) a manufacturer of electric vehicle batteries;
“(dd) an owner, operator, or manufacturer of electric vehicle charging equipment;
“(ee) the public utility industry;
“(ff) a public utility regulator or association of public utility regulators;
“(gg) the transportation fueling distribution industry;
“(hh) the energy provider industry;
“(ii) the automotive dealing industry;
“(jj) the for-hire passenger transportation industry;
“(kk) an organization representing units of local government;
“(ll) an organization representing regional transportation or planning agencies;
“(mm) an organization representing State departments of transportation;
“(nn) an organization representing State departments of energy or State energy planners;
“(oo) the intelligent transportation systems and technologies industry;
“(pp) labor organizations representing workers in transportation manufacturing, construction, or operations;
“(qq) the trucking industry;
“(rr) Tribal governments; and
“(ss) the property development industry; and
     “(II) may include a representative of any other non-Federal stakeholder that the Secretaries consider to be appropriate.
“(ii)Requirement.—The stakeholders selected under clause (i) shall, in the aggregate—
     “(I) consist of individuals with a balance of backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints; and
     “(II) include individuals that represent geographically diverse regions of the United States, including individuals representing the perspectives of rural, urban, and suburban areas.
“(D)Compensation.—A member of the working group shall serve without compensation.
“(3)Meetings.—
“(A)In general.—The working group shall meet not less frequently than once every 120 days.
“(B)Remote participation.—A member of the working group may participate in a meeting of the working group via teleconference or similar means.
“(4)Coordination.—In carrying out the duties of the working group, the working group shall coordinate and consult with any existing Federal interagency working groups on fleet conversion or other similar matters relating to electric vehicles.
“(c)Reports and Strategy on Electric Vehicle Adoption.—
“(1)Working group reports.—The working group shall complete by each of the deadlines described in paragraph (2) a report describing the status of electric vehicle adoption including—
“(A) a description of the barriers and opportunities to scaling up electric vehicle adoption throughout the United States, including recommendations for issues relating to—
“(i) consumer behavior;
“(ii) charging infrastructure needs, including standardization and cybersecurity;
“(iii) manufacturing and battery costs, including the raw material shortages for batteries and electric motor magnets;
“(iv) the adoption of electric vehicles for low- and moderate-income individuals and underserved communities, including charging infrastructure access and vehicle purchase financing;
“(v) business models for charging personal electric vehicles outside the home, including wired and wireless charging;
“(vi) charging infrastructure permitting and regulatory issues;
“(vii) the connections between housing and transportation costs and emissions;
“(viii) freight transportation, including local, port and drayage, regional, and long-haul trucking;
“(ix) intercity passenger travel;
“(x) the process by which governments collect a user fee for the contribution of electric vehicles to funding roadway improvements;
“(xi) State- and local-level policies, incentives, and zoning efforts;
“(xii) the installation of highway corridor signage;
“(xiii) secondary markets and recycling for batteries;
“(xiv) grid capacity and integration;
“(xv) energy storage; and
“(xvi) specific regional or local issues that may not appear to apply throughout the United States, but may hamper nationwide adoption or coordination of electric vehicles;
“(B) examples of successful public and private models and demonstration projects that encourage electric vehicle adoption;
“(C) an analysis of current efforts to overcome the barriers described in subparagraph (A);
“(D) an analysis of the estimated costs and benefits of any recommendations of the working group; and
“(E) any other topics, as determined by the working group.
“(2)Deadlines.—A report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Secretaries, the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Appropriations of the House of Representatives—
“(A) in the case of the first report, by not later than 18 months after the date on which the working group is established under subsection (span)(1);
“(B) in the case of the second report, by not later than 2 years after the date on which the first report is required to be submitted under subparagraph (A); and
“(C) in the case of the third report, by not later than 2 years after the date on which the second report is required to be submitted under subparagraph (B).
“(3)Strategy.—
“(A)In general.—Based on the reports submitted by the working group under paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall jointly develop, maintain, and update a strategy that describes the means by which the Federal Government, States, units of local government, and industry can—
“(i) establish quantitative targets for transportation electrification;
“(ii) overcome the barriers described in paragraph (1)(A);
“(iii) identify areas of opportunity in research and development to improve battery manufacturing, mineral mining, recycling costs, material recovery, fire risks, and battery performance for electric vehicles;
“(iv) enhance Federal interagency coordination to promote electric vehicle adoption;
“(v) prepare the workforce for the adoption of electric vehicles, including through collaboration with labor unions, educational institutions, and relevant manufacturers;
“(vi) expand electric vehicle and charging infrastructure;
“(vii) expand knowledge of the benefits of electric vehicles among the general public;
“(viii) maintain the global competitiveness of the United States in the electric vehicle and charging infrastructure markets;
“(ix) provide clarity in regulations to improve national uniformity with respect to electric vehicles; and
“(x) ensure the sustainable integration of electric vehicles into the national electric grid.
“(B)Notice and comment.—In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Secretaries shall provide public notice and opportunity for comment on the strategy described in that subparagraph.
“(4)Information.—
“(A)In general.—The Secretaries may enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide, track, or report data, information, or research to assist the working group in carrying out paragraph (1).
“(B)Use of existing information.—In developing a report under paragraph (1) or a strategy under paragraph (3), the Secretaries and the working group shall take into consideration existing Federal, State, local, private sector, and academic data and information relating to electric vehicles and, to the maximum extent practicable, coordinate with the entities that publish that information—
“(i) to prevent duplication of efforts by the Federal Government; and
“(ii) to leverage existing information and complementary efforts.
“(d)Coordination.—To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretaries and the working group shall carry out this section using all available existing resources, websites, and databases of Federal agencies, such as—
“(1) the Alternative Fuels Data Center;
“(2) the Energy Efficient Mobility Systems program; and
“(3) the Clean Cities Coalition Network.
“(e)Termination.—The working group shall terminate on submission of the third report required under subsection (c)(2)(C).”

Establishment of Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Puspan. L. 117–58, div. J, title VIII, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1425, as amended by Puspan. L. 117–103, div. L, title IV, § 427(8), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 774, provided in part: “That there is established a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (referred to in this paragraph in this Act [div. J of Puspan. L. 117–58, see Tables for classification] as the ‘Joint Office’) in the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy to study, plan, coordinate, and implement issues of joint concern between the two agencies, which shall include: (1) technical assistance related to the deployment, operation, and maintenance of zero emission vehicle charging and refueling infrastructure, renewable energy generation, vehicle-to-grid integration, including microgrids, and related programs and policies; (2) data sharing of installation, maintenance, and utilization in order to continue to inform the network build out of zero emission vehicle charging and refueling infrastructure; (3) performance of a national and regionalized study of zero emission vehicle charging and refueling infrastructure needs and deployment factors, to support grants for community resilience and electric vehicle integration; (4) development and deployment of training and certification programs; (5) establishment and implementation of a program to promote renewable energy generation, storage, and grid integration, including microgrids, in transportation rights-of-way; (6) studying, planning, and funding for high-voltage distributed current infrastructure in the rights-of way of the Interstate System and for constructing high-voltage and or medium-voltage transmission pilots in the rights-of-way of the Interstate System; (7) research, strategies, and actions under the Departments’ statutory authorities to reduce transportation-related emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change; (8) development of a streamlined utility accommodations policy for high-voltage and medium-voltage transmission in the transportation right-of-way; and (9) any other issues that the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy identify as issues of joint interest: Provided further, That the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation shall establish and maintain a public database, accessible on both Department of Transportation and Department of Energy websites, that includes: (1) information maintained on the Alternative Fuel Data Center by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department of Energy with respect to the locations of electric vehicle charging stations; (2) potential locations for electric vehicle charging stations identified by eligible entities through the program; and (3) the ability to sort generated results by various characteristics with respect to electric vehicle charging stations, including location, in terms of the State, city, or county; status (operational, under construction, or planned); and charging type, in terms of Level 2 charging equipment or Direct Current Fast Charging Equipment: Provided further, That the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy shall cooperatively administer the Joint Office consistent with this paragraph in this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy may transfer funds between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy from funds provided under this paragraph in this Act to establish the Joint Office and to carry out its duties under this paragraph in this Act and any such funds or portions thereof transferred to the Joint Office may be transferred back to and merged with this account: Provided further, That the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy shall notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not less than 15 days prior to transferring any funds under the preceding proviso: Provided further, That for the purposes of funds made available under this paragraph in this Act: (1) the term ‘State’ has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 23, United States Code; and (2) the term ‘Federal-aid highway’ means a public highway eligible for assistance under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, other than a highway functionally classified as a local road or rural minor collector”.