Klein will serve as executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, which was created by the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and provides coordination between the US departments of energy and transportation. The departments announced the news on Tuesday morning.
“We look forward to working with Gabe to help implement President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Act for the American people and ensure that every community, from the largest cities to the most rural areas, can reap the benefits of the revolution. electric vehicles,” US Transportation said. Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
Klein was previously a partner at consultancy Cityfi, which focuses on urban transportation and planning. He also served on the Biden-Harris transition team for the Department of Transportation. His leadership in DC and Chicago was marked by being among the first transportation departments to embrace emerging transportation trends like car sharing, bike sharing, and bike lanes.
“I will seize the opportunity to lead a critical shift in our economy from fossil fuel transportation to clean electric power systems, because there has never been a more important mission in our recent history than solving the climate crisis. “, Klein said in a statement. .
But many consumers wonder if they will be able to charge an electric vehicle. The country’s charging network is nascent compared to the long-established gas pump network. Last week, the Biden administration announced that it had approved electric vehicle charging plans for 35 states. Many stations will be built along the highway corridors to facilitate long journeys.
The Joint Bureau of Energy and Transportation has previously advised states on their electric vehicle charging plans and worked with the Federal Highway Administration on minimum standards for chargers.
The Biden administration has called for 40% of its climate change and clean energy investments to be directed to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.
“We couldn’t be more excited for him to work for more electric cars and trucks on our roads,” Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement.