announcements

Washington Tribes Receive $15 Million Grant Award for EV Charging Infrastructure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Hitchcock, mhitchcock@cowlitz.org 

 

Washington Tribes Receive $15 Million Grant Award for EV Charging Infrastructure

LONGVIEW, WA – The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is proud to announce the receipt of $15 million in grant
funding for six Washington tribes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Charging and 
Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. 


The grant award is the result of a joint application between the Cowlitz Indian Tribe as the lead 
applicant and the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Klamath Tribes, Lummi Nation, 
Puyallup Tribe of Indians, and Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. The funds will be used to install 172 
EV charging ports across six tribal sites in Washington and Oregon. Each site will also feature 
chargers for e-bikes and e-scooters. These locations, selected for their strategic importance along 
key travel corridors in rural and disadvantaged communities, are designed for future expansion.


The Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Klamath Tribes, and the 
Puyallup Tribe of Indians issued the following statements: 


“We are thrilled to receive this significant grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This 
funding not only supports our commitment to sustainable infrastructure, but also highlights the 
power of collaboration among local Tribes. This project will have a profound impact on our 
communities, enhancing accessibility and promoting economic growth. It reflects our core values 
of stewardship, unity, and respect for our land and people, fostering a stronger, more resilient 
future for Washington State.” – William Iyall, Chairman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.


“The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation is proud to be a part of the Northwest Tribal 
Zero Emission Vehicle Charging and Fueling Network grant led by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. This 
grant will pay for EV charging stations at the Chehalis Tribe’s business enterprises, including The 
Great Wolf Lodge and two of the Tribe’s End of Trails Fueling Centers/Convenience Stores and will 
be of great benefit to our customers and employees.” -Dustin Klatush, Chairman of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation


“The Klamath Tribes is excited to participate in this program, which will provide more excellent 
value to our tribal members and the general public at our businesses and administration. As we 
move toward electrification of vehicles as a Tribe, it’s important not only for us to stay ahead of the 
curve technologically but for the benefit of the environment and battle against climate change. We 
look forward to working with other tribes in our mission to curb pollution and make our planet a 
cleaner place to live.” -William Ray Jr., Chairman of the Klamath Tribes


“This is great news for the new year. The Puyallup Tribal Council declared a climate emergency in 
2019, and installing more EV charging stations will help us get to a greener future. Thank you to the 
Cowlitz Indian Tribe for leading the application.”-Puyallup Tribal Council

 

For more information on the grant and project proposal, click here.

###