EV Stations in Ohio: A Charged Debate

BY NICK ROGERS

STATEWIDE - With the mad rush to electrify our nation’s transportation fleet, Governor Mike DeWine is looking to obtain $189 million in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This “Climate Action Plan” has been adopted by Ohio municipal governments and entities such as the Cincinnati Hamilton County Library in hopes that they may have their desired electric vehicle (EV) charging station installations subsidized.

Cincinnati Hamilton County Library’s April agenda outlines their interest in applying for grants that could, potentially, cover 100% of the cost of installation (up to $200,000 tax-payer dollars for a single “level 3” charger).  Whether or not they have fully budgeted the “down the road expenses” – insurance, maintenance, and operational requirements – is yet to be seen.  

A recent Ohio Register piece focused on the debate about the overall practicality and feasibility of EVs in the United States.  Charging stations, private or public, come with logistical issues, i.e. permits, construction and upkeep. They also carry a hefty price tag, along with potential safety and liability dangers. 

While mainstream media and government hail the “electric vehicle revolution” as a Godsend/no-brainer, there are serious things to consider.

According to a report, over 1/3 of EV fires happen while charging. Fires in EVs themselves have gotten some coverage in the news, but few think about the risk of fire from the charging stations themselves. It’s a real issue and extensive prevention and extinguishing training is required. Lithium batteries burn very hot. 

There is, as well, the concern of prolonged exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). NIH research warns that (non-ionizing) EMF radiation exposure from EV charging should not be dismissed. Meanwhile, the database of peer-reviewed published research on the effects of exposure to EMF from other sources continues to grow, bolstering the NIH’s words.  

From the NIH report: “The strongest EMF was found in the vicinity of direct current (DC) charging installations—SMF up to 0.2 mT and ELF magnetic field up to 100 µT—and inside the EVs—up to 30 µT close to its internal electrical equipment.”

Then, there is the issue of insurance. With “sustainable development goals” popping up everywhere we look, health and safety risks or EVs and their charging stations are being buried and “debunked” in mainstream media. State Farm, ironically, removed EV charging stations from its corporate parking garages citing fire risk concerns. Some major insurers, parenthetically, refuse to cover smart phones because of EMF health worries. Will those who choose to install EV charging stations be met with similar refusals in the future?

Beyond the potential physical and physiological harm posed by the charging stations – fires and EMF damage, mainly – hacking is already a big problem, too. Installing and managing these new technologies is not for the layman as, for example, remediating EMF exposure takes the employment of professional building biologists. It should go without saying that to install an EV charging station without the proper technological knowhow is playing a dangerous game.

This whole “green” agenda is predicated on the need to reduce carbon dioxide to cool the planet, but it is clear that Americans are divided on the “climate change” issue (even those not educated on the more sinister, insidious climatic goings-on like geoengineering). “Renewable” technologies are presented to us as mandatory planet- saving endeavors, but a growing number of educated, concerned Citizens – and some politicians it would seem – aren’t laying down and taking it without, at least, a proper debate; be that debate one of practicality or one of safety.