| Pierce County has installed two Electric Vehicle charging stations, one at the county government's downtown Tacoma campus and the other at the Public Services Annex. A station at each location is available for $3 per charge. The charging stations support Pierce County's sustainability goals of improved water and air quality and reduces the use of fossil fuels. The stations are located in the public pay lot adjacent to the new jail and at the Annex near the LESA Communication tower. The stations operate by self-serve kiosks, and they accept major credit and debit cards. "These charging stations provide a direct benefit to the public's health, our community's economic vitality and our overall environmental welfare," Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy said. "They are part of an integrated plan to move us closer to our sustainability goals." In addition, three other stations have been installed at the County-City Building to support the newest acquisitions to the county's vehicle fleet: three Nissan Leafs. These electric vehicles are available to county employees to use for work. A taxpayer investment, the cars require less maintenance and have a higher resale value than traditional vehicles. All five charging stations were funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The two public stations were funded through the agency's Petroleum Reduction Program, while the three fleet stations were funded through the agency's EV Project. The Interstate 5 corridor was chosen as an ideal location to deploy regional electric vehicle infrastructure, making it one of the first electric highways in the nation. This will allow electric vehicle owners to travel the Northwest's major highway systems. For more information, visit the Pierce County website.
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