The Chehalis Tribe and the Cowlitz Tribe have been named as two of six grant applicants set to receive a combined total of $19.92 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to install hundreds of new charging stations for electric vehicles along the Interstate 5 corridor.

The funds come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2024-25 Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, which was established by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to a news release from U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington.

The Northwest Tribal Zero Emission Vehicle Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Network received $15 million, and the City of Renton received $4,924,585, according to the news release.

The Chehalis Tribe will install four 150kW direct current fast chargers (DCFCs) adjacent to the convenience store and fueling station at 20330 Old Highway 99 SW, two DCFCs at their convenience store at 18101 Anderson Road Southwest, and four Level 2 chargers at the Fairfield Inn & Suites located at 6223 197th Avenue Southwest. Currently, the nearest EV charging stations are 21 miles to the north and 11 miles to the south.

—Cowlitz Crossing near the ilani Casino in Ridgefield: The Cowlitz Tribe will install six DCFC and four Level 2 chargers. Currently, the nearest charging stations are 24 miles to the north and 13 miles to the south.

—Emerald Queen Resort in Tacoma: The Puyallup Tribe will install both DCFC and Level 2 charging stations on the northern side of the casino for the traveling public, employees, and the Puyallup Tribe vehicle fleet.

—Angel of the Winds Resort in Arlington: The Stillaguamish Tribe will install 20 dual-port Level 2 charging stations and six dual-port DCFC stations. This location will help rural residents and corridor travelers access EV charging, according to a news release. Currently, the closest stations are 50 miles to the north and 20 miles to the south.

—Salish Village Travel Plaza in Bellingham: The Lummi Tribe will install four 150kW direct current fast chargers (DCFCs) and two Level 2 chargers. This site will serve as the northernmost public charging station on Interstate 5 5, just 19 miles from the U.S.-Canada border, and will provide “a critical charging access point on the freight corridor between the two countries,” Cantwell’s office stated in the news release.

—The City of Renton: The city will install 244 public electric vehicle charging ports at 28 sites located at prominent destinations, in neighborhood curbsides, and in rural adjacent areas to expand access to charging infrastructure and equitably distribute benefits.

An additional portion of the Department of Transportation funds awarded to the Northwest Tribal Zero Emission Vehicle Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Network will go to the Klamath Tribes to install two fast-charging depots just south of the Kla-Mo-Ya Casino near Oregon Shores, according to the news release.