County files notice of intent to seek ODOT carbon‑reduction grant for rural EV chargers

Multnomah County’s transportation division told the board on July 2 that it will apply for a federal Carbon Reduction Program grant administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation to deploy off‑grid, solar‑powered electric vehicle charging units in rural parts of the county outside the urban growth boundary.

Lance Calvert, interim county engineer, described proposed sites on the far east and far west sides of the county designed to serve rural fleets and provide scalable, mobile charging that can be used in emergencies. Staff said the initial packet requested $200,000 but ODOT asked that the county increase the request to $250,000 for contingency funds.

The board approved the notice of intent and supported staff pursuing the grant application.

Attribution: Lance Calvert (DCS Transportation) presented the proposal during the July 2 meeting.