Coalition of Food & Fuel Retailers Oppose RECHARGE Act
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Trade association NATSO (National Association of Truck Stop Owners) stood alongside a coalition of restaurants, fuel retailers, city governments, transportation energy providers and blind entrepreneurs in opposition to the RECHARGE Act.
Introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the bill would amend longstanding federal law prohibiting automotive services at highway rest areas to allow such stops to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
NATSO said it believes the changes will threaten to halt private investment in EV charging networks and that to build up truly robust EV infrastructure, it would be better to incentivize the thousands of travel centers, gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and hotels located near the interstate highway system to offer EV charging and other alternative fuels.
Such incentives would, according to the association, also prompt future investments in low-carbon fuel technologies, as well as limit range anxiety for electric vehicle drivers.
"Rather than undermine off-highway businesses, policymakers have an opportunity to build upon positive momentum by solving the most pressing existing impediments to charging station investment, rather than creating new ones," the coalition wrote in a letter to the U.S. Senate. "Maintaining the ban on commercialization, and developing incentive programs within that regulatory structure, will foster the proliferation of EV charging in the long-term."
Alternatively, rest area EV stations could discourage private investment in electric fuel by creating an unlevel playing field in which state governments do not have to compete for customers from an advantaged location on the Interstate right-of-way. The amended law could additionally threaten the livelihood of blind business owners who currently enjoy a priority for installing and operating vending machines at Interstate rest areas. If commercialized rest areas were allowed, these business owners would possibly be out of work.
The coalition reiterated its support for the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Grant Program, which has already created private sector participation in many states, and which could be undermined by the new bill.
NATSO was joined in signing the letter by SIGMA; Energy Marketers of America; NACS; National Federation of the Blind; National League of Cities; National Restaurant Association; and the National Retail Federation.
Headquartered in Alexandria, NATSO is the trade association of America's travel plaza and truck stop industry.