CALSTART Media Contact: Jennifer Smith, CALSTART (626) 744-5645, jsmith@calstart.org  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Sunday, May 17, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released long-awaited draft text for the BUILD America 250 Act, a bill that would fund major highway and transit infrastructure projects over the next 5 years.

In response to this news, CALSTART’s President and CEO, Michael Berube, issued the following statement:

“At a time when American consumers and businesses are struggling with high transportation and freight costs, the BUILD America 250 Act proposes punitive new annual fees on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that would increase costs on drivers who are already trying to save money on fuel and maintenance. It would also eliminate dedicated funding for zero-emission transit vehicles and for building out the charging infrastructure network that will allow every American to have the option to choose an electric vehicle.

“Rather than helping address affordability challenges, these fees disproportionately target consumers choosing newer and more-efficient vehicle technologies and create additional uncertainty for automakers, suppliers, charging companies, and private investors.

“The bill also fails to meaningfully address the growing diesel cost crisis impacting freight movement and supply chains nationwide and across the globe. In the past 4 years alone, the trucking industry has endured multiple fuel price spikes, each time exposing the same structural vulnerability: America’s freight system is overwhelmingly dependent on a single highly volatile fuel. Medium- and heavy-duty transportation alternatives, including cleaner and more-efficient trucks and charging infrastructure, are essential tools for lowering operating costs, reducing price volatility, and helping bring down the cost of goods Americans rely on every day.

“We appreciate the efforts of members who fought to preserve federal investments in clean transportation and advanced vehicle infrastructure, as well as efforts to improve street safety and innovative mobility deployments through the Safe Streets and Roads for All and SMART grant programs. However, the overall direction of this proposal could undermine America’s competitiveness in one of the fastest-growing global industries.

“Congress should be focused on expanding affordable transportation options, strengthening U.S. manufacturing leadership, and helping communities and businesses lower transportation costs. We urge the Committee to make significant changes to the BUILD America 250 Act to prevent this legislation from making it harder for Americans, fleets, and transit agencies to access technologies that can save money and reduce fuel costs.”

Background

Congress periodically passes large, multi-year legislation to fund on-road infrastructure like roads and bridges. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which offered historic investments in low- and no-emission vehicles and infrastructure.

As funding from the Act draws down, Congress has been working on the next major surface transportation package.

After much anticipation, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee shared its first draft over the weekend. Read our blog post for more information on Surface Transportation Reauthorization.

About CALSTART

CALSTART brings the clean transportation industry together to accelerate innovation and grow the market. Bridging government and industry with support from our members and partners, we scale affordable clean transportation options that cut air pollution and curb climate change.