CFI Grant
Connecticut Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant
New! Public Comment Request Regarding De Minimis Impacts Determination under the US Department of Transportation Act Section 4(f). See Opportunities for Public Participation below for details!
Background
The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program provides funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other alternative fueling infrastructure. The CFI Program is a grant program created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and is codified at 23 U.S.C. § 151. CFI Program investments make infrastructure available to all drivers of electric, hydrogen, propane, and natural gas vehicles. This program provides two funding categories of grants: (1) Community Charging and Alternative Fueling Grants (Community Program); and (2) Charging and Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program). The IIJA provides $2.5 billion over five years for this program.
On January 18, 2024, DEEP was awarded $14,652,800 under Round 1A of the U.S. DOT CFI Grant Program for the installation of eight (8) dual-port Level 2 charging stations and ninety-six (96) single-port direct-current fast chargers (DCFC) in seven (7) municipalities across the State of Connecticut. DEEP executed a grant agreement with U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for this grant project on January 12, 2025. On March 31, 2025, DEEP released a Request for Proposals (RFP) and on July 30, 2025, DEEP selected Gravity, Inc. (Gravity), in partnership with Fuss & O’Neill (Fuss), to administer the project. On January 27, 2026, DEEP finalized a contract with Gravity for project management, technical support, and implementation activities in accordance with all requirements set by the State and FHWA.
Selected Sites for Newly Installed EV Charging Stations
During the application process for the CFI Grant, the Connecticut Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Team (CT BILT) worked with the seven (7) municipalities to identify initial sites where new electric vehicle charging stations (EVSE) were proposed to be installed as part of this grant. Initial sites, including any site locations that were revised during subsequent planning, are noted in the table below:
City/Town |
Initial Site Name |
Initial Site Address |
Updated Site Name (if applicable) |
Updated Site Address (if applicable) |
Charger Type |
Quantity & Port Type |
|
Level 3 / DCFC |
Bridgeport | Brewport Brewing Co. | 225 South Frontage Road | City Hall Visitor Parking | Golden Hill Street | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port |
| Bridgeport | Boca Oyster Bar/Steelpointe Harbor |
10 East Main Street | Bass Pro Shops | 1 Bass Pro Drive | 500 kW DCFC |
12 Single-Port | |
| Hartford | MAT Garage | 55 Chapel Street South | On-Street Parking (other side of MAT Garage parcel) | Church Street and Main Street | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
| Hartford | Sheldon Lot |
141 Sheldon Street | On-Street Parking (adjacent to Sheldon Lot) | Sheldon Street | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
| New Haven | Wilbur Cross Athletic Fields Parking Lot |
31 Mitchell Drive | N/A | N/A | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
| New Haven | City Health Department |
424 Chapel Street | N/A | N/A | 200 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
| Stamford | Bedford Street Parking Garage |
17 Forest Street | N/A | N/A | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
| Stamford | Summer Street Parking Garage |
25 Summer Place | N/A | N/A | 500 kW DCFC | 12 Single-Port | |
Level 2 |
Barkhamsted | Barkhamsted Town Hall |
67 Ripley Hill Road | N/A | N/A | Level 2 | 2 Dual-Port |
| East Hartford | Silver Lane Plaza |
818-850 Silver Lane | Town Green Park/Alumni Park | 1047 Main Street | Level 2 | 2 Dual-Port | |
| Groton | Groton Public Library |
52 Newtown Road | N/A | N/A | Level 2 | 2 Dual-Port | |
| Hartford | Library Parking Lot |
166 Sheldon Street | N/A | N/A | Level 2 | 2 Dual-Port | |
Timeline of CFI Project Activities
This project is being implemented in two (2) distinct phases, as required by FHWA:
Phase 1: Planning
Phase 1 of the project, which is the only phase for which funding is secured, covers all deliverables up to and including the final design, including but not limited to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and rights-of-way analyses, along with completion of a Real Estate Acquisition Management Plan (RAMP). All deliverables for Phase 1 of this project must be completed before August 1, 2026.
Phase 1 Task |
Due Date |
| Complete pre-NEPA, NEPA, SHPO, and RAMP, including any associated reviews and documentation for each selected site, in accordance with FHWA requirements. | May 1, 2026 |
| Complete preliminary design work and engineering specifications for EV infrastructure needs in the pre-NEPA phase of the project. |
June 1, 2026 |
| Complete final design for each site and submit to FHWA for approval. | August 1, 2026 |
Phase 2: Implementation
Phase 2 of the project will only be funded by FHWA upon successful completion of Phase 1 and will cover implementation of the final design, including but not limited to construction, operation and maintenance of the charging stations. Once Phase 1 is completed, initiation of Phase 2 is contingent on: 1) FHWA approval of Phase 1 deliverables, and 2) FWHA continuing to support and fully release the obligated grant funds to DEEP.
Phase 2 Task |
Due Date |
| Complete construction and operation of EVSE at selected sites in accordance with state, local, and FHWA requirements, including EVSE installation and electric hookups. | By November 1, 2029 |
| Complete inspection of infrastructure at selected sites. | By January 1, 2030 |
| Create outreach content, usage guidance, and other engagement materials. Begin operation and periodic maintenance of EVSE at all selected sites. |
By March 1, 2030 |
| Ensure ongoing EVSE operation. | By April 1, 2030 |
Opportunities for Public Participation
Current Opportunities for Public Participation:
Public Comment Request
As part of the design at two (2) charging locations, charging equipment will be located in parking lots shared by publicly owned parks or recreation areas consisting of:
- Wilbur Cross Athletic Complex in New Haven (12 single-port DCFCs installed in Complex parking lot at Mitchell Drive); and
- Alumni Park/Town Green Park in East Hartford (two dual-port Level 2 chargers installed in Park parking lot at Main Street).
DEEP is seeking public comment on this determination before making a final decision. Anyone interested may submit a comment regarding the proposed work on park and recreation lands. Send comments by July 2, 2026, via email to DEEP.MobileSources@ct.gov or via U.S. mail. Please view the Public Comment Request Notice (below) for more information:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 – Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) Quarterly Meeting in Waterbury, CT
Location: Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT and via Zoom Webinar
Time: 12:30 – 4:00 p.m.
CEEJAC is an advisory council to the Commissioner of DEEP on historical and current environmental injustices across the state. At this meeting, the CFI grant project administrator, Gravity, Inc., will introduce themselves and an overview of the project. Time will be provided for attendees to ask questions and engage in meaningful discussions about the project. For more information and to register, visit DEEP’s Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council webpage. Registration is strongly encouraged by Friday, June 19, 2026.
Questions? Contact DEEP.CEEJAC@ct.gov or call Sarah Huang at (475) 301-5145.
DEEP will publish future opportunities for public participation on this webpage, as well as coordinate with the municipalities to provide local public outreach.
Possible outreach activities to be conducted under this project may include:
- Creation of fact sheets, engagement solicitation flyers, webinars, pre-recorded informational videos, and other outreach materials. Printed communications may be distributed or pinned in city/town halls, public libraries, and/or at the proposed project installation sites. All distributed project materials will include team contact information should stakeholders or members of the public have questions or feedback related to the project.
- Initial schematic design layouts for each of the identified sites.
- Public meetings (either virtual or with a hybrid component). These public meetings may be an opportunity to share design concepts and plans with residents, local businesses, or other interested stakeholders through a combination of informative presentations, engaging materials intended to promote active participation, and ample time for meaningful conversation.
- To reach audiences on the ground and in the community, interactive Pop-Up Sessions may be conducted at each project site (or close-by, should another location be preferred). Gravity may set up a Pop-Up table at the proposed project site to discuss the proposed project with passersby. This is also an opportunity to work with community groups and other institutions to share information and gather feedback on the project.
All outreach materials will be provided in both English and Spanish, or other prominent non-English speaking language of the affected community.
Project Budget
Total Estimated CFI Grant Project Budget |
|||
| Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Total | |
| CFI Grant Funds | $1,465,280.00 | $13,187,520.00 | $14,652,800.00 |
| DEEP In-Kind Match | $50,000.00 | $250,000.00 | $300,000.00 |
| Gravity Cost Share | $336,320.00 | $3,026,880.00 | $3,363,200.00 |
| Project Total | $1,851,600.00 | $16,464,400.00 | $18,316,000.00 |
Project Agreement
To view detailed information from DEEP's contract with Gravity for this project, please visit the links below:
Appendix B: Project Timeline and Administration Budget
Original CFI Grant Application
To view detailed information from DEEP’s original application for the Round 1A CFI Grant, please visit the link below. Please note, only a portion of the original application was funded by FHWA.
DEEP’s CFI Grant Application - Project Narrative
Other Helpful Links
Questions?
For additional information about these projects, please email DEEP.MobileSources@ct.gov.
Content last updated June 22, 2026