“Status of Local EV Development Activity Across Washington State”
Tonia Buell, Interim Director of Public/Private Partnerships,
Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympia WA
Tuesday, March 17th at 12:30 PM • Port Townsend Community Center
The Key Speaker for March has had considerable experience throughout Washington State with local municipal and county-wide activity with EV development as well as direct responsibility for the Washington portion of the West Coast Electric Highway.
Ms. Tonia Buell is Interim Director of Public/Private Partnerships for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). She represents WSDOT for all EV, or more precisely, all “PEV,” (Plug-in Electric Vehicle) efforts.” PEVs include both battery-only vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Ms. Buell will describe (i) the current status of the West Coast Electric Highway, (ii) how PEV use is rapidly becoming mainstream, (iii) experiences with local EV charging station install-ations, (iv) state plans to encourage 50,000 PEVs by 2020, (v) currently pending EV legislation in Olympia, (vi) successful EV tourism initiatives in other counties, and (vii) benefits of EVs.
Encouraging EV use is a key part of Governor Inslee’s state-wide energy policy and local development of EV use and tourism has become a goal for many different Jefferson County businesses, individuals, and public organizations. A key recommendation produced by the EV Tourism Project last year was the priority for installing five DC Fast EV charging stations in Jefferson County.
