DNR Awards $2.6M in Volkswagen Trust Funds

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources recently awarded approximately $2.6 million in funding for construction of electric vehicle charging stations.

These projects will complete Missouri’s highway charging network plan under the Volkswagen Trust.

The department issued the latest awards to the following three recipients:

*Francis Energy in Branson, Chillicothe, Farmington, Hannibal, Macon, Maryville, Poplar Bluff and Sedalia
*Universal EV LLC in Cabool

*SugarFoot Convenience Store LLC in Collins

The department accepted applications from local governments and businesses located near the specified highway intersections. The department received more than 40 applications during the most recent application period. An impartial scoring committee evaluated each application on the proposed project’s technical aspects and relevant business experience. A list of 10 awardees and details about the funding program are available on the department’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure web page.

“The department is pleased to play a role in enhancing Missouri’s charging infrastructure network and partnering with stakeholders to develop a practical and efficient plan,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Department of Natural Resources. “The charging installations are making it possible for electric vehicle owners to travel across the state of Missouri, using services along the way.”

With a goal of making Missouri highways friendlier for electric vehicle owners, the department held a series of meetings with a citizen stakeholder group. During the meetings, stakeholders helped identify viable charging station sites across the state located near highway intersections.

Together with more than 30 other installations planned by utilities, drivers can now have confidence that a network of charging stations is available statewide. In addition to the 12 sites previously established, these 10 latest awards fulfill the highway network plan and will likely fully utilize the Volkswagen Trust funding dedicated to charging infrastructure.

In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed a complaint alleging Volkswagen had violated the Clean Air Act with the sale of 2009-2016 motor vehicles equipped with emissions “defeat devices.” These devices allowed the vehicles to perform differently during normal vehicle operation than during emissions tests. This meant the vehicles exceeded EPA’s compliance levels of nitrogen oxide (NOX) during normal use.

Volkswagen agreed to settle some of the allegations by creating an Environmental Mitigation Trust to fund strategies that will reduce NOX emissions. Missouri received approximately $41 million in trust funds for mitigation projects. With stakeholder support, the department dedicated approximately $6 million (15%) of Missouri’s allocation to creating a network of electric vehicle charging stations.

To request more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources’ Air Pollution Control Program at MOVWTeam@dnr.mo.gov.