The Village of Enosburg Falls wanted to go green and show care for their local environment, and after learning about the Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund Village Manager John Dasaro took the opportunity to bring an EV charger to town.
“We wanted to show that we care for our environment and had been looking for options to bring a charging station to the Village,” says Dasaro. “When we heard about this available grant, we knew we needed to apply.”
The Climate Catalysts Innovation Grant was available through the Vermont Council on Rural Development, thanks to statewide donors and supporters of the organization. The 2022 grant round distributed over $80,000 in funds to 25 projects, including Enosburg.
Dasaro and his staff in Enosburg certainly didn’t waste any time researching and installing the charger. Within 3 months of receiving the grant, the charger was installed and ready for visitors.
“I spent time really researching units and the best process for our residents and visitors. Swanton had a charger and was a great help in understanding more how to operate and move this idea forward. Green Mountain Power was also a huge help with the project to select from the variety of available units,” says Dasaro.
Enosburg also had their own internal light department in the Village that was able to install the charger which served as an incredible asset to keeping costs minimal for the town. In addition to the grant, Enosburg also received a $500 rebate from Efficiency Vermont – resulting in the completion of the full project without a cost to the Village.
While going green was the driver for installing the charger, the boost in economic activity will prove to be an enormous asset to Enosburg.
“We searched for different locations to install the charger but knew we wanted to be in the heart of the village and walkable to all that it has to offer,” shares Dasaro. “Travelers are now able to stop in Enosburg, charge their vehicles, and spend time in Enosburg with our local businesses and boost economic activity. A QR code is also available at the charger for easy access to a map to walk the area.”
Plugshare, an interactive map of available chargers across the country, now has Enosburg listed so travelers can make their plans on where to stop and charge with available public chargers. The location is visible on other charging infrastructure apps and as warm weather approaches, Dasaro is eager to meet new travelers utilizing the charger.
But visitors aren’t the only ones taking advantage of the new chargers. The prominent location in town also makes it easy for area residents to use the charging infrastructure. When the supervisory union relocated to the village, employees were excited about the opportunity.
There is a small fee to use the charger based on the amount of time needed, but there aren’t any docking fees at this time.
Reflecting on the project and its success in such a short time, Dasrao shares, “We were able to go green, show our care for the environment, and bring economic vitality to the Village without any upfront costs. We are very appreciative of the grant opportunity!”