SALISBURY, Md. - The U.S. federal government is investing $15 million in Maryland to expand its network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, a move championed by Governor Wes Moore as a crucial step towards the state's ambitious goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. However, this initiative has stirred debate among politicians and citizens alike.
Congressman Andy Harris voiced his opposition, questioning the fairness of using taxpayer dollars for EV infrastructure. Harris stated, "It's not fair to make everybody else pay for their ability to charge their vehicles. For instance, the federal government doesn't pay to build gas stations for the vast majority of people who use gas to fill their cars."
Harris also raised concerns about where the chargers are made, recently supporting legislation that requires EV chargers to be made in America. Harris added, "To make matters even worse, the Biden administration said we're not only going to build these charging stations using taxpayer dollars, we're actually going to bypass our Made in America rules."
On the other side of the debate, EV owners like Joel Wallace from Snow Hill are in favor of the project. Wallace, who switched to an EV in recent years said, "We switched to an EV about a year and a half ago and have loved having it, and being able to charge it more readily is always a big thing."
But Paul Hawkins of Salisbury with the spending, suggesting, "They can do more with that taxpayer money."
The Governor's office has announced that several of the 58 new EV charging stations will be located on the Eastern Shore, though the exact number remains unspecified. This initiative is part of a larger national strategy to establish half a million EV chargers, highlighting the growing emphasis on clean energy and sustainable transportation solutions.
