SAN FRANCISCO-To keep up with the ongoing costs of offering such amenities for visitors, Golden Gate National Recreation Area is proposing a change to how its electric vehicle (EV) charging stations operate. If approved, the proposal will increase fees for public charging stations, which will generate revenue to pay for electricity and maintenance costs and support new stations throughout the park.
This change would prioritize the use of EV chargers by park visitors, rather than those looking for a no-cost way to charge their cars. It will also help ensure the park can provide this amenity to the public in the future.
Stinson Beach, Fort Mason and Crissy Field’s East Beach currently offer free EV charging to the public through donations provided to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The EV chargers at Muir Woods are managed through a concession contract and are currently available to visitors for a charge, so Muir Woods is not included in this proposal.
Beyond these locations, the proposal to increase EV charging fees includes five other park sites where stations will be built in the future. Rodeo Beach, Battery East, Lands End, China Beach and Crissy Field’s West Bluff are all expected to receive EV chargers between late 2023 and 2024.
The proposed rate for EV charging is $0.40 per kWh (kilowatt hour) with an additional $2 per hour surcharge after the first 4 hours to discourage idling. This rate is comparable to similar EV charging costs in the surrounding area.
If approved, fees could be implemented at Stinson Beach, Fort Mason and Crissy Field’s East Beach as a pilot later this year and at the other locations in 2024.
Comments on the proposal will be accepted from May 16, 2023, to June 15, 2023. The park will be utilizing the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website to share project information and request your comments.
All comments must be submitted online through PEPC: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/gogaEVchargers2023
The NPS is committed to encouraging public participation and providing opportunities for communication between the park and the affected community, interested stakeholders, and community residents during the process. Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail address, or other personally identifiable information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment (including your personally identifiable information) may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information about the park’s sustainability work, please visit our Transportation page. Visit the interactive Electric Vehicle Charging Map webpage to plan your trip.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service