Road trips are a classic summer activity, and now PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center is encouraging drivers to include state and national parks in those trips. Not just because of the outdoor adventures they provide, but because of their vehicle charging options.
PennEnvironment announced their new interactive map that pinpoints state and national parks where drivers can stop, plug in their electric vehicles, and enjoy nature.
You can “recharge where you recharge,” says Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment’s Deputy Director.
More than 260 state and national parks across the country with EV chargers either in them or nearby are marked on the map. DCNR has installed charging stations at more than thirty state parks and forests in Pennsylvania.
Six state parks and forests near the Lehigh Valley have EV chargers: Delaware Canal State Park, Fort Washington State Park, Hickory Run State Park, Marsh Creek State Park, Nockamixon State Park, and Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center.
PennEnvironment emphasizes the impact shifting to electric vehicles could have on our climate. Transportation is currently the top source of pollution in the U.S.
Climate change is a threat to the parks on the map. Cardoni says the National Park System was created to “preserve everything from purple mountains’ majesty to fruited plains.” Everyone can limit the threat by visiting the parks by electric vehicle.
The number of EV charging stations nationwide is rising, with one out of every five available at the end of 2023 having been installed within the previous year.
PennEnvironment’s new interactive map can be found at environmentamerica.org, and a list of PA state parks with charging stations can be found at dcnr.pa.gov.
