SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake will be getting its first electric vehicle charging station this spring at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation (SLCF) building on Highway 83. Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) received one of four “Fast Charge Your Ride” grants provided by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) share of the Volkswagen Settlement funds in an effort to expand travel options across Montana for electric vehicle drivers.
The funds awarded focus on establishing fast-charging locations for Montana’s key travel corridors with access to popular travel sites such as Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. While fast-charging stations are important to travel long distances with short charging stops, Level 2 chargers also play important roles. The Level 2 chargers funded by DEQ are located in key downtown or destination locations. Charging times are longer with Level 2 stations, but they encourage electric vehicle drivers to plug in and explore the surrounding area which helps drive business to local stores and restaurants.
“Proximity and availability of electric vehicle charging stations is a critical connection for visitors to small communities and for the support of restaurants and small businesses in key Montana tourism corridors,” said Scott Osterman, Director of Montana Department of Commerce, in a press release. “This network of charging stations opens up the opportunity for more exploration of the state, supporting local economies. We are excited to see the expansion of this infrastructure in Montana.”
After receiving the grant, MEC General Manager Mark Hayden said in a press release that they chose Seeley Lake for their EV charging station because it was one of their largest rural communities with a high volume of tourism. Instead of putting the charging station on their property north of town, they chose to partner with the SLCF because of its proximity to local shopping and dining and their community-focused values, something that aligns with the Cooperative.
“As a member-owned cooperative, MEC is guided by seven cooperative principles, which includes equality amongst our members,” wrote Kelsey Lodge, MEC Manager of Communications and PR. “After much discussion by the Board, MEC decided that working with a centrally located, community non-profit, like the SLCF, the EV charging station would not only be an investment in the Seeley Lake community but it would benefit locals and visitors alike.”
One fast-charging station and one Level 2 charger will be installed at the SLCF parking lot hopefully in early April so travelers can take full advantage of the station during the 2022 tourist season. This charging station will be compatible with all brands of electric vehicles reducing the “range anxiety,” worrying about how far you’ll have to travel until your next fill up, for those who own an electric vehicle that is not a Tesla.
SLCF Executive Director Claire Muller said the Foundation is excited for this innovative way to bring clean energy to the area, build capacity for Seeley Lake and keep the community competitive. She added it is through partnerships like this that they can accomplish larger projects than possible on their own.
“We are a 501c3 nonprofit that engages philanthropy, provides leadership and enhances the quality of life and economic vitality of the Seeley Lake area,” Muller wrote in an email. “We are excited about this collaborative project with MEC to leverage resources that support our Foundation facility, which hosts community activities and collaborations with local nonprofits and businesses, both within the building and on the grounds, such as the Sunday Market, events and trainings and now an EV station.”
To match the “Fast Charge Your Ride” grant, MEC will provide roughly 20% of the project cost. The SLCF will provide in-kind contribution of space in their parking lot and assume responsibility of site maintenance.
Muller believes electric vehicles will continue to increase in use.
“MEC is preparing our town for the future of travel. And this means more traffic to surrounding businesses, ensuring that tourism, one of the cornerstones of our Seeley Lake economy, flourishes for years to come,” Muller wrote. “We also envision an additional benefit to local recreational and construction equipment rental companies as they begin to electrify their fleets, since rapid charging will work with these types of equipment as well.”
Lodge agreed, “We will continue to see increased numbers of electric vehicles passing through western Montana in the coming years. We believe the installation of a rapid EV charger is a signal that Seeley Lake is positioned to welcome the next generation of travelers taking a drive through the valley.”
The other three receipts of the grants were GBP Enterprises; NorthWestern Energy, Big Timber, Billings, Conrad, Deer Lodge, Dillon, Great Falls, Hamilton, Hardin and Helena; and Town Pump, Eureka, Kalispell and Libby. This brings the total number of stations across the state to 21 and adds key corridors with access to popular travel sites such as Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.
The stations are funded through the Volkswagen settlement funds, which are intended to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions that contributes to unhealthy air. Montana received $12.6 million from the national Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Settlement. The settlement against Volkswagen concerned the use of devices installed in certain Volkswagen diesel cars sold between 2009-2016 that were intended to defeat emissions tests. These devices allowed the vehicles to emit up to 40 times the level of NOx pollution allowed under the Clean Air Act.
The Montana Department of Transportation said that anticipated future federal programs can build on charging infrastructure funded through the Volkswagen Settlement funds. Community and private support for charging station infrastructure will also be critical to increasing the use of electric vehicles in Montana.
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