Rural New England Needs EV Chargers to Keep Tourism Revenue Flowing: The Trump Administration is Making it Harder to Build Them
When Charyl Reardon needs to charge her electric vehicle quickly, she has to leave her home in New Hampshire’s White Mountains region and drive 65 miles south on the interstate highway until she reaches the capital city of Concord.
For those like Reardon, a resident of the Lincoln Woodstock community in northern New Hampshire, this kind of routine is not uncommon. Public charging stations for electric vehicles, or EVs, are scarce in rural parts of the state. Compared to the rest of New England, which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, the Granite State has lagged in its rollout of public EV infrastructure.
“They’re kind of sprinkled along parts around the White Mountains,” said Reardon. “You don’t often see fast chargers by any means.”
Some businesses and municipalities in the state are looking to ramp up the construction of public EV charging stations to meet growing demand. But a recent move by President Donald Trump’s administration could make doing so more difficult. On February 6, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration released a memo suspending the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, a resource supporting the construction of public EV infrastructure in states. The two phases of the program, spread over five years, award competitive grants of up to 80 percent federal funding for EV infrastructure projects along major roadways and in communities across the country. States are required to contribute the other 20 percent of costs, often through private investment.
Reardon is the president of the White Mountains Attractions Association, which operates a visitor center at the entrance to the region in North Woodstock, New Hampshire. Travel and tourism make up the second largest sector in the state’s economy, and most visitors arrive by car. But New Hampshire’s slow approach to building public EV infrastructure could cost the state more than $1.4 billion in tourism revenue by 2031, Clean Energy NH and Ski NH found in a January 2025 study.
The region that will be hardest hit is the White Mountains, which is projected to lose $353 million by 2031, according to the study, which was supported by the Environmental Defense Fund.
With EVs projected to approach 30 percent of the cars on New England roads between now and the early 2030s, the study found that New Hampshire will fall behind neighboring Vermont and Maine—its key competitors in the regional tourism market—should it continue to lag in developing EV infrastructure. For Reardon, the need is already clear. Fast chargers are in the works at the visitor center where Reardon is based, located off Interstate 93, which connects Boston to the White Mountains.
The memo from the Federal Highway Administration has caused confusion and concern among states and contractors hired to install projects, said Loren McDonald, chief analyst at Paren, an EV data platform tracking how states use federal funds for EV infrastructure.
“There is no legal basis and authority to do this,” said McDonald. “It is all about creating havoc.”
The NEVI program was established under the Inflation Reduction Act, a piece of legislation passed by Congress in 2022. To fundamentally change the NEVI program, Congress will need to revise the law. McDonald said he expects state attorneys general to prepare lawsuits against the memo in coordination with their departments of transportation and energy, which funnel NEVI funds to projects at the local level.
In the meantime, states are pausing parts of their NEVI programs. While New Hampshire has already been awarded $2.8 million in NEVI funding to build charging stations along major EV corridors as part of the program’s first phase, it is unclear whether it will see any funding for phase two of the program to build EV infrastructure in communities.
A spokesman from New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation confirmed to the Daily Yonder that the state will continue with phase one NEVI sites as planned. The recent announcement that phase two NEVI development is “on hold” in New Hampshire has raised concerns about the state’s ability to meet the growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. With federal funding already invested in projects in the White Mountains and other regions, the state is now awaiting further guidance from its federal partners before moving forward.
The Federal Highway Administration’s memo on February 6 stated that reimbursement for “existing obligations” will be allowed, but also suspended approvals for all plans for all years of the program. This has left many states, including New Hampshire, unsure of which projects are considered “obligated” and what the future holds for their NEVI plans.
In the Granite State, close to $30 million in federal funding has been allocated for building public charging infrastructure along major roadways and in communities. This funding comes through the NEVI program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The state’s tourism industry, particularly in regions like the White Mountains, is heavily reliant on visitors who drive from neighboring states like Massachusetts and Connecticut. With a significant number of EV drivers in these states, there is a growing need for more charging infrastructure to support tourism in New Hampshire.
Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski NH, highlighted the importance of addressing the lack of charging stations in the North Country, a region often referred to as a “charging desert.” As more visitors from Massachusetts and Connecticut choose to drive electric vehicles, the state must ensure that there are enough charging options to meet their needs.
A recent study released by Clean Energy NH and Ski NH found that Massachusetts and Connecticut are expected to have a much higher number of EVs on the road by 2033 compared to New Hampshire. This raises concerns about the state’s ability to attract and accommodate EV drivers, potentially leading to a loss of revenue in the tourism sector.
Sam Evans-Brown, executive director of Clean Energy NH, emphasized the urgent need for policy changes to make public EV infrastructure more accessible and affordable in New Hampshire. He pointed to neighboring states like Massachusetts, which have implemented incentives and programs to support the growth of EV charging stations.
As New Hampshire navigates the challenges of expanding its EV infrastructure, stakeholders in the tourism industry are prepared to advocate for state-level policies that will support the growth of public charging stations. With the potential economic impact of inadequate charging infrastructure looming, there is a pressing need for action to ensure the state remains competitive in the rapidly evolving EV market. New Hampshire’s 2024 Priority Climate Action Plan includes a focus on financing to support the development of public EV charging stations, despite the state not yet enacting a “Make-Ready” program. The plan acknowledges the growing adoption rates of EVs and the necessity for infrastructure to support this shift towards electric vehicles.
According to experts like Evans-Brown, the financial benefits of investing in public EV charging infrastructure become clear when considering the number of EVs expected to be on the road in the early 2030s. While a tourism impact study highlighted the potential economic consequences of not installing EV infrastructure, a comprehensive analysis of the state’s potential gains has yet to be conducted.
One successful example of public EV charging infrastructure in New Hampshire is the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene, which installed chargers with state funding in 2024. The project, costing approximately $233,000 and financed by the state’s share of the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust, has seen increased usage since its installation. The chargers have been well-received by both travelers and locals, filling a gap in fast-charging options in the rural Monadnock region.
James Penfold, director of eMobility Solutions at ReVision Energy, emphasized the importance of government assistance in making EV infrastructure projects feasible. The cost of installing level two and level three chargers is significant, and without incentives or financial support, many businesses and municipalities may find it challenging to invest in EV charging stations.
In rural communities like the White Mountains, upfront costs for EV charger installations can be prohibitive, even with the promise of long-term returns. Uncertainties about the future of federal funding, particularly in light of the Trump administration’s attempts to freeze spending, add an additional layer of complexity to plans for expanding EV infrastructure in New Hampshire.
Overall, the push for public EV charging infrastructure in New Hampshire highlights the need for financial incentives and government support to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. As the state continues to address climate change and reduce emissions, investing in EV infrastructure will be crucial for meeting sustainability goals and supporting the growing number of EV drivers on the road. The world of technology is constantly evolving, with new advancements and innovations being made every day. From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, there is no shortage of exciting developments happening in the tech industry. One such advancement that has been gaining a lot of attention recently is the rise of blockchain technology.
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