Overview:
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has announced a $46 million investment to install more fast chargers for electric vehicles along secondary corridors, including Routes 202 and 112, which are identified as gaps in the state's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council's biennial assessment. The funding will be divided into two parts, with $16 million going towards the purchase and installation of EV charging infrastructure across various locations, and almost double that amount, or $30 million, going towards medium- and heavy-duty charging at strategically located hubs. The latest funding comes on top of state Electrical Vehicle Incentive Program grants going to both communities and businesses.
More fast chargers for electric vehicles are set to be installed along the state’s so-called secondary corridors, including both Routes 202 and 112 in this area, as part of a $46 million investment recently announced by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
While the specific locations for the fast chargers are not yet known, both routes, which extend through portions of Hampshire and Franklin counties, are identified as being gaps in the state’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council’s biennial assessment released this month.
That report calls for both more chargers along secondary corridors and better support for charging of so-called medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
“We’re making it easier for everyone to get around as more Massachusetts residents choose to drive electric,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a statement announcing the $46 million in funding. “Not only are these vehicles fun to drive, but they are typically less expensive to maintain than their gas- and diesel-powered counterparts. We are committed to building a cleaner environment and vibrant economy for everyone.”
“Expanding access to EV charging infrastructure is essential to our clean energy transition and a powerful driver of economic growth,” said Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba.
The biennial assessment highlights the need for more fast chargers throughout the four western counties, and includes a map showing corridors that do not already have them. That includes routes that encompass both larger communities, like Holyoke and South Hadley, as well as smaller towns like Goshen and Ashfield.
The Energy and Environmental Affairs office and MassDEP will work with local and regional officials, members of the coordinating council and utility companies to identify projects that will most effectively address gaps, using existing programs to disburse funding, and financing projects that are already under development, where possible.
The grant funding will be divided in two ways. About $16 million will go toward the purchase and installation of EV charging infrastructure across workplaces, fleets, multi-unit dwellings, educational campuses and public access locations. Almost double that amount, or $30 million in grant funding, will go toward medium- and heavy-duty charging at strategically located hubs, chargers along secondary corridors to support light- and medium-duty EVs and various other opportunities.
A letter attached to the report, written by Chairman Joshua Ryor, assistant secretary of Energy for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, observes:
“Public fast charging infrastructure deployment, in particular, has surged with the annual number of fast chargers deployed increasing from 142 in 2023 to 382 in 2024 and 390 in 2025 through August 1st.”
The latest funding comes on top of state Electrical Vehicle Incentive Program grants going to both communities and businesses, with municipal recipients including Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, South Hadley, Granby, Deerfield, Erving and Leyden, and commercial recipients including Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton and Pride convenience stores and gas stations, which has locations in Northampton and Hadley.
In July, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center announced two new EV charging programs, the On-Street Charging Program for municipalities and the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Mobile Charging Program for commercial fleets. Both programs are designed to accelerate equitable access to EV charging solutions, ensuring that all residents, regardless of income or housing type, and businesses can participate in the transition to clean energy.
Northampton, Amherst, South Hadley, Montague and Athol were among 21 cities and towns selected to receive support for feasibility studies and planning, while Holyoke got money to do project implementation.
And in April, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center announced $9 million to support nine projects in the second round of the Accelerating Clean Transportation for All program, with the focus on expanding EV charging access and reducing pollution from public transit.
The first component was designed to support installing EV charging stations in multi-unit housing and communities that have not had accessibility before, allowing more people, especially renters and residents without dedicated parking, to switch to electric vehicles.
The second component was to help public transit authorities upgrade to cleaner buses, reducing pollution and providing better public transportation options.
For that, Northampton received $900,000 to expand the regional e-bike program, ValleyBike, to improve transit access for priority populations, while Pioneer Valley Transit Authority got $1.5 million to conduct research and purchase EVs to enhance transit services, and Franklin Regional Transit Authority got $932,850 for developing and implementing a fleet electrification plan for cleaner public transit options.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
