Title
Maricopa County Air Quality Department Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant (Ordinance S-52722) - Districts 3, 5 & 7
Description
Request approval for the City Manager, or the City Manager's designee, to authorize the Office of Sustainability (OOS) to submit a grant application to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) for up to $3,250,000 under the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) program for Council Districts 3, 5, and 7. Additionally, if awarded, to execute a subaward agreement with MCAQD necessary to accept and disburse the grant funds. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept, and for the City Controller to disburse, grant funds in accordance with the terms of the aforementioned grant and agreement.
Report
Summary
The Transportation Electrification Action Plan (TEAP), approved by Mayor and City Council in June 2022, set a goal of installing 500 City-hosted public EV charging stations by 2030 using local, state, and federal funding. Phoenix currently has 39 public EV charging stations (140 Level 2 ports), installed on City-owned property. MCAQD CFI funding would help contribute to the 2030 goal and address existing EV charging gaps.
In January 2025, Phoenix was awarded $15 million through the Round 2 CFI discretionary grant program for EV charging infrastructure, mobile solar units, solar carports, and micro mobility charging stations. As of February 2026, the funds remain on hold due to a federal suspension of EV grant programs. Arizona’s Attorney General joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the suspension, but the court ruling is still pending and CFI funds are still inaccessible.
MCAQD received $15 million from the Federal Highway Administration through the CFI grant process, releasing $13.5 million available for subawards. The program reimburses qualifying Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program participants up to 80 percent for installing public EV charging stations. All expenses must be submitted by September 30, 2029, for reimbursement. The OOS received approval from the following departments: Parks and Recreation, Community and Economic Development, and Public Transit to include three publicly accessible locations for EV charger installations. Attachment A lists each facility’s name, address, City Council district, and number of proposed Level 2 and DCFC ports. These locations were previously included in CFI Round 1. Attachment B provides the proposed project siting criteria.
Project requirements include the following:
- Up to five charging stations at up to five locations.
- At least four charging ports capable of charging simultaneously.
- Minimum Alternate Current (AC) Level 2 chargers with at least 97 percent uptime.
- Price for EV charging and the price structure must be on display prior to initiating a charging transaction.
- Must provide access for users with limited English proficiency and people with disabilities.
These funds will help the City advance it’s TEAP goals, cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce noise, improve air quality, attract investment, boost local commerce, create installation and maintenance jobs, address “EV charging deserts” for residents without private garages, and prepare for future mandates and the transition to more electric transportation.
The grant application deadline is March 27, 2026. Funding award notifications will be distributed in early June 2026.
Contract Term
The grant will require the City to sign a Subaward Agreement with MCAQD and contract term is for five years.
Financial Impact
This is an 80/20 federal grant, where MCAQD, through the CFI grant funding, will reimburse 80 percent of project costs, and the City of Phoenix provides a 20 percent non-federal match. The 20 percent match funding, for approximately $650,000, is available in the Capital Improvement Program utilizing 2023 General Obligation bond funds.
Location
79th Avenue/I-10 Park and Ride, 1509 N. 79th Avenue
Innovation 27, 2526 W. Northern Avenue
Rose Mofford Sports Complex, 9833 N. 25th Avenue
Council Districts: 3, 5, and 7
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Office of Sustainability.