Grand Rapids Reporter

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and affiliated parties recently celebrated the first of what will be 15 electric vehicle charging sites at state parks.

Officials from Adopt a Charger, along with electric car manufacturer Rivian, joined Whitmer in the celebration that will also include a state fish hatchery to be developed in the near future, a recent press release from the governor’s office said.

“The Adopt a Charger goal is to enable zero emission tourism in Michigan, and inspire visitors of all ages to consider the impact of their decisions on the environment,” Kitty Adams Hoksbergen, executive director of Adopt a Charger, said in the release. “I am grateful to everyone at DNR for proactively planning and offering EV charging at state parks, and to Rivian for their generosity in making it happen. Thanks to ITC for sponsoring the electrical usage so EV motorists can charge their vehicles fee-free for the first two years. I grew up camping with my family at Michigan State Parks, and am grateful to be promoting what I believe in while supporting the places special to me.”

The governor’s office reported that recently installed solar panels at Holland State Park by Utopian Power are a great example of how they can power park infrastructure and electric vehicles.

“This partnership to install charging stations in our state parks speaks to the collaborative approach we are taking to grow our economy and address climate change head-on through clean, reliable energy,” Whitmer said in the release. “These charging stations along the Lake Michigan EV Circuit build on our rich Pure Michigan tradition of exploration and bringing together communities and businesses to ensure that we honor our past as the place that put the world on wheels and continue to invest in our workforce as we lead the transition to electric vehicles.”

Whitmer added that the projects will help boost the economy and lower costs for motorists in the long run.

“We applaud the state for continuing to adopt policies that keep Michigan at the forefront of innovative electric mobility which is why we’re proud to take our collaboration with the state up a notch today at Holland State Park,” Chris Nevers, senior director of public policy at Rivian, said in the release. “Our state parks charging program is how we come together with our partners to offer a solution to EV-charging gaps. We’re making this investment because we believe that exploring the natural world should be possible without contributing to local air pollution, climate change, or damaging the environment.”