The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced a $1 million grant award to help develop electric vehicle infrastructure on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The grant recipient, Car Charging Group Inc., will install charging stations at 17 Turnpike service plazas.

"Pennsylvania has been -- and will continue to be -- a nationwide leader on energy issues in all sectors," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said.

"The Pennsylvania Turnpike has a long history of innovation in highway transportation," Turnpike Commission Chairman William K. Lieberman said. "We are pleased to participate in the effort to expand the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Pennsylvania by offering electric car owners easy access to charging stations at convenient locations."

Level II charging stations, which can charge a car in roughly four hours, and Level III charging stations, which can charge a car in about 20 minutes, will be installed at the service plazas in three phases.

The first phase of the work will be incorporated into ongoing service-plaza renovations between Harrisburg and New Jersey. Later phases will involve service plazas between Harrisburg and Ohio, and then along the Northeastern Extension. The project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2013.

The Turnpike Commission has also committed up to $500,000 in electric upgrades at the plazas to provide the charging stations with the necessary voltage.

The DEP grant is provided through the Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program, which is funded by a portion of the gross utilities receipts tax.