Canton Getting 6 Electric Vehicle Chargers, Funded By State

CANTON, CT — Six new dual electric vehicle charging stations are coming to Canton, thanks to money the town received from a statewide initiative to improve air quality.

The state Department of Transportation awarded Canton $40,000 for the charging stations, as part of an effort to invest in local projects aimed at reducing vehicle exhaust emissions in areas that don't meet national air quality standards.

A news release from Gov. Ned Lamont's office didn't specify where the stations would be located, though it said they would be for "residents, school employees, students, and visitors."

Canton was among 10 Connecticut municipalities to receive funding in amounts ranging from $20,952 (West Hartford) to $4,000,000 (Bridgeport and Greenwich).

In total, the state awarded $24 million in federal funds, Lamont's office announced.

The projects mostly center around electric vehicle charging stations and upgraded traffic signal technology designed to reduce unnecessary idling at traffic lights.

Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said the transportation sector accounts for 67 percent of smog-forming air pollution in Connecticut — and she said the state grants will help address that.

Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti concurred, and said the projects are forward-looking.

"With expanded access to electric vehicle charging stations and increased use of adaptive traffic signals across the state, we are confronting climate change with actionable projects that will help reduce carbon emissions," Giulietti said. "These projects represent the future. We remain committed to using technology and innovative solutions to have a cleaner, more equitable, and resilient transportation system for all people across Connecticut."