At last Thursday’s board meeting, the GACC Board of Directors voted to adopt a position paper on proposed building requirements for electric vehicle charging stations.
The board’s position states that, while neither the GACC nor its members object to EVs or charging stations, the Chamber opposes the proposed EV charger update to the energy code.
Proposed changes to the NM IECC would require newly constructed buildings – including all industrial, commercial, and multi-family residential buildings – to also install electric vehicle charging stations. This new section would apply to virtually every type of business the GACC represents, including but not limited to: banks; schools; health care facilities like hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory facilities; grocery and department stores; food processing establishments; laboratories; radio and television stations; restaurants/bars; and even funeral parlors.
The proposal also stipulates how many charging stations and which kinds would be required, based on the type of occupancy. One example is a 300-unit apartment complex would require 60 EVSE stations, 15 EV-Ready spaces and 150 EV-Capable spaces.
The Board-endorsed position paper points out the proposed changes would create an expensive, unfunded mandate for businesses – in the absence of real demand – which in turn would increase rental prices and discourage new rental construction, worsening the area’s housing shortage. Considered with all of private sector’s other costs and no state incentives, the new burdensome requirement would send the message loud and clear that New Mexico is not business-friendly.
The New Mexico Construction Industries Division is expected to hold a 30-day public comment period on the proposed code changes this November, with a vote to adopt the new requirements at the end of the month. If they are adopted, the new construction requirements would go into effect in July 2024.
Local Government Affairs Chair Peter Lorenz spoke to KOB-TV 4 on this topic last week. “We are opposed to the mandate because it is not funded, first, and secondly, the demand is not there,” Lorenz said.
You can read the story and watch the segment here.
We’ll keep you apprised of developments on this changing issue.01