Rob Healey, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Manager at BMW of North America, with an electric car and charger at BMW North America headquarters on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. (Photo: Michael Karas/Northjersey.com)
RUTHERFORD – The Borough of Trees is using state grant funds to install eight electric vehicle charging stations in four locations.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grant funding of $40,000 will cover the installation of eight charging stations in four locations –Borough Hall parking lot on Park Avenue; the Memorial Park lot at the corner of Darwin and Monona avenues; the Tamblyn Field Civic Center parking lot on Woodland Avenue; and 220 Highland Cross next to Wall Field.
On Feb. 27, the governing body authorized a grant agreement with the state for the grant funding.
Last summer, the DEP launched an initiative called "Drive Green New Jersey," aimed at educating the public and consumers on electric vehicles and the impact on air quality. Under the program, $725,000 in reimbursement grants were made available to employers, non-profits and government entities to offset the cost of installing charging stations to encourage commuters to use these types of vehicles, dubbed "It Pays to Plug In." Awardees can receive up to $5,000 for each Level 2 station, which provide more mileage range for electric vehicles then the Level 1 variety of station.
"Electric vehicles can play a critical role in helping to improve our air quality," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said. "This new grant program, in addition to the current incentives available in our state, can help improve the affordability of this innovative and proven technology that benefits all New Jersey residents."
Rutherford had applied for the $40,000 grant last August, said DEP spokesperson Karen Chmielinski.
A growing number of municipalities are installing public charging stations. The first Garden State town to do so, Montclair utilized a $25,000 Sustainable Jersey grant in 2010 to install a series of four stations in its downtown. Earlier this year, the Meadowlands community of Secaucus announced that it would be installing four charging stations, funded by the grant program, at its library, recreation center, Town Hall and municipal parking lot.
The number of electric vehicles on the road in New Jersey has increased over the last few years, according to the DEP's Bureau of Mobile Sources. Registrations for the electric vehicles went from 1,741 in 2012 to 9,065 in 2016.
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Source: Rutherford using grant for 8 electric vehicle charging stations
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