Wyoming Updates NEVI and VW Funding Timeline

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Wyoming DOT updated their timeline regarding NEVI and VW Funding. Note the in-person workshop scheduled for May 9th in Casper, WY will be moved to May 24th if any delay in this timeline occurs. If the workshop is delayed, deadlines are also delayed by two weeks.

As a reminder, the NEVI funding can only be used along the previously designated alternative fuel corridors. Year one funding of the NEVI program will only fund stations in the towns of Pine Bluffs, Laramie, Wheatland, Douglas, Buffalo, Sheridan, and Sundance.

The VW Funding is an excellent funding option for communities and businesses that are not located along the alternative fuel corridor. There is a total of $1.2 million available. The draft process to apply for these funds will be posted on April 1st as noted in the timeline below. Some high level priorities and program guidance for VW funds are outlined in Wyoming’s Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy:

  1. VW settlement funds will be open to off route recipients and include Level 2 and lower output Level 3 charging at multifamily dwellings and businesses more suited to local area travel.
  2. These funds will support up to 50% of the purchase and installation costs for this program.
  3. Funds will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first come, first served basis until all funds are exhausted. Applications from corridor funded areas will not be considered in this pool.

In addition to the VW Funding, the Community Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant program is also a great option for communities not along the alternative fuel corridors. This program is not yet open but the program website, linked above, is live.

Yesterday’s Wyoming Timeline Updates below:

Recently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Standards and Requirements final rule. That release initiated actions for WYDOT and other state agencies to finalize the NEVI Funding Requests for Proposal (RFP) and the procedure for interested parties to apply for VW Settlement Funds.

While the NEVI final rules did answer some questions, it raised others. We continue to work with FHWA to clarify requirements and ensure the NEVI RFP is as comprehensive as possible. We are still waiting for some answers but feel we are far enough along to issue a predicted timeline for the next steps in the funding announcement process.

In addition, WYDOT continues to synchronize electric vehicle infrastructure support activities with other state agencies, which will require a longer RFP review process than normal. We will build that additional review time into RFP issuance and submittal schedules. This updated timeline is subject to change based upon FHWA responses and other State Agency review requirements.

Updated Timeline – Expected completion dates (NLT = no later than)

  1. Draft Cybersecurity requirement language received from the Wyoming Department of Enterprise Technology Service – March 3, 2023
  2. Final FHWA answers or clarification to NEVI final rule questions – March 7, 2023
  3. Draft RFP complete and submitted for State Agency Review – March 10, 2023
  4. RFP approved and posted for public review / comment – NLT April 1, 2023
  5. VW Settlement Fund Application Procedures posted – NLT April 1, 2023
  6. RFP questions due to WYDOT (RFP will provide additional information) – NLT April 21, 2023
  7. VW Settlement Application Procedures questions due to WYDOT – NLT April 21, 2023
  8. WYDOT response to RFP and VW Settlement application procedure questions – NLT April 28, 2023
  9. NEVI / VW Settlement Funding Workshop – May 9, Thyra Thomson State Office Building Casper, WY
    • Registration procedures and agenda will publish NLT April 10, 2023
  10. Final questions for NEVI RFP due to WYDOT NLT May 31, 2023
  11. WYDOT response to additional NEVI RFP questions NLT June 7, 2023
  12. RFP closes for proposals – on or about June 15, 2023
  13. VW Settlement Fund Application submissions activate on or about June 15, 2023

There is a possibility the timeline could be delayed during the RFP review process or by additional guidance we may receive from FHWA. In that case we have a secondary date for the Workshop arranged at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building on May 24, 2023. If we must delay the workshop, the final questions, RFP closing, and VW Settlement Funding Application opening dates will also be delayed by two weeks. We will publish an updated timeline.

If FHWA publishes guidance for discretionary grant programs prior to the workshop, we will cover those programs at that workshop. We will post any additional information on this site when it becomes available.