Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements rule (2023)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
New Administrative State Banner.png
What is a significant rule?

Significant regulatory action is a term used to describe an agency rule that has had or might have a large impact on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments. These actions may also conflict with other rules or presidential priorities. As part of its role in the regulatory review process, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) determines which rules meet this definition.


Administrative State
Administrative State Icon Gold.png
Five Pillars of the Administrative State
Agency control
Executive control
Judicial control
Legislative control
Public Control

Click here for more coverage of the administrative state on Ballotpedia.
Click here to access Ballotpedia's administrative state legislation tracker.


The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements is a significant rule issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), effective March 30, 2023, that establishes minimum standards for projects under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.[1]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Name: National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements
  • Agency: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
  • Action: Final rule
  • Type of significant rule: Other significant rule
  • Timeline

    The following timeline details key rulemaking activity:

    Background

    The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), was enacted on November 15, 2021. Title VIII of division J of the BIL directs the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in Paragraph (2) under the Highway Infrastructure Program to set minimum standards and requirements National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.[1]

    Summary of the rule

    The following is a summary of the rule from the rule's entry in the Federal Register:[1]

    This final rule establishes regulations setting minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and projects for the construction of publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) chargers under certain statutory authorities, including any EV charging infrastructure project funded with Federal funds that is treated as a project on a Federal-aid highway. The standards and requirements apply to the installation, operation, or maintenance of EV charging infrastructure; the interoperability of EV charging infrastructure; traffic control device or on-premises signage acquired, installed, or operated in concert with EV charging infrastructure; data, including the format and schedule for the submission of such data; network connectivity of EV charging infrastructure; and information on publicly available EV charging infrastructure locations, pricing, real-time availability, and accessibility through mapping applications.[2]

    Summary of provisions

    The following is a summary of the provisions from the rule's entry in the Federal Register:[1]

    The BIL specifically requires minimum standards and requirements be developed related to at least six areas:

    (1) Installation, operation, and maintenance by qualified technicians of EV infrastructure. The FHWA requires general consistency with regard to the installation, operation, and maintenance and technician qualifications of the NEVI Formula Program projects and projects for the construction of publicly accessible EV chargers that are funded under Title 23, U.S.C., including any EV charging infrastructure project funded with Federal funds that is treated as a project on a Federal-aid highway. In terms of standards for installation, operation, and maintenance, charging stations are required to contain a minimum number of ports, types of connectors, payment methods, and requirements for customer support services. In terms of technician qualifications, there are minimum requirements for training, and certification standards for technicians installing, operating, and maintaining chargers to ensure consistency around quality installation and safety across the network. This final rule provides the traveling public with reliable expectations for their EV charging experience anywhere that NEVI Formula funds or Title 23, U.S.C. funds, including Federal funds for projects that are treated as a project on a Federal-aid highway, are used to construct EV charging infrastructure. In addition to requirements that are customer-facing, a series of additional requirements provide less visible, yet critical, standardization and uniformity for how charging stations would be installed, maintained, and operated. These types of requirements address topics such as the certification of charging equipment, security, long-term stewardship, the qualifications of technicians installing and maintaining charging stations, and the privacy of customer data conveyed. This final rule also explains what the program income can be used for when there is net income from the sale, use, lease, or lease renewal of real property acquired, or when there is income or revenue earned from the operation of the EV charging station.

    (2) Interoperability of EV charging infrastructure. The requirements relating to interoperability similarly address less visible standardization along the national EV charging network. The FHWA is working to establish a seamless national network of EV charging infrastructure that can communicate and operate on the same software platforms from one State to another. The FHWA establishes interoperability requirements through this final rule for charger-to-EV communication, charger-to-charger network communication, and charging network-to-charging network communication to ensure that chargers are capable of the communication necessary to perform smart charge management and Plug and Charge.

    (3) Traffic control devices and on-premise signs acquired, installed, or operated. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) found at 23 CFR part 655 and the Highway Beautification regulation at 23 CFR part 750 address requirements about traffic control devices and on-premise signs.

    (4) Data requested related to EV charging projects subject to this rule, including the content and frequency of submission of such data. The FHWA outlines data submittal requirements that are applicable under specified circumstances. States and other designated recipients are required to submit data to identify charging station use, reliability, and cost information. This final rule serves an important coordination role by standardizing submissions of large amounts of data from charging stations across the United State while providing the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) [2] with the data needed to create the public EV charging database outlined in BIL.

    (5) Network connectivity of EV charging infrastructure. This final rule outlines network connectivity requirements for charger-to-charger network communication, charging network-to-charging network communication, and charging network-to-grid communication. These requirements address standards meant to allow for secure remote monitoring, diagnostics, control, and updates. These requirements will help address cybersecurity concerns while mitigating against stranded assets (whereby any provider abandons operations at any particular charging station).

    (6) Information on publicly available EV charging infrastructure locations, pricing, real-time availability, and accessibility though mapping applications. This final rule establishes requirements to standardize the communication to consumers of price and availability of each charging station. Specifically outlined in the final regulation, States and other designated recipients are required to ensure that basic charging station information (such as location, connector type, and power level), real-time status, and real-time price to charge would be available free of charge to third-party software developers through application programming interface. These requirements enable effective communication with consumers about available charging stations and help consumers make informed decisions about trip planning and when and where to charge their EVs. This final rule also establishes requirements for public transparency when EV charging prices are to be set by a third party. This will protect the public from price gouging.[2]

    Significant impact

    See also: Significant regulatory action

    Executive Order 12866, issued by President Bill Clinton (D) in 1993, directed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to determine which agency rules qualify as significant rules and thus are subject to OMB review.

    Significant rules have had or might have a large impact on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments. These actions may also conflict with other rules or presidential priorities. Executive Order 12866 further defined an economically significant rule as a significant rule with an associated economic impact of $100 million or more. Executive Order 14094, issued by President Joe Biden (D) on April 6, 2023, made changes to Executive Order 12866, including referring to economically significant rules as section 3(f)(1) significant rules and raising the monetary threshold for economic significance to $200 million or more.[1]


    The text of the National Bridge Inspection Standards rule states that OMB deemed this rule significant but not economically significant:

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that this rulemaking would be a significant regulatory action within the meaning of E.O. 12866, “Regulatory Planning and Review” 58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993).[2]

    Text of the rule

    The full text of the rule is available below:[1]

    See also

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements," February 28, 2023
    2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.