Trump Administration Halts Billions for EV Charging, Earthjustice Sues

Current Developments: The distribution of billions earmarked by Congress for a nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging network is being stalled by the Trump administration, leading Earthjustice to initiate legal action against this move.

Significance: Establishing an expansive EV charging network is crucial for updating the U.S. transportation system and maintaining international competitiveness. Congress allocated substantial funds to states for this initiative, but these plans are now in limbo due to the funding freeze. This action by the administration contravenes several legal statutes, including the Constitution, which entrusts budgetary control to Congress rather than the executive office.

The Road to the Current Situation

• Under President Trump's directive to halt clean energy investments, the Federal Highway Administration and Department of Transportation have put a stop to the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI).
• Congress approved the NEVI program with bipartisan support in 2021 to facilitate EV charging station construction nationwide.
• States, including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, submitted proposals under NEVI, with Texas being the most significant recipient. More than half of the funds were already allocated, and thousands of workers were contracted for infrastructure projects, which are now on hold.

Implications of the Funding Blockade

• The appeal of electric cars is rising among Americans due to increasing affordability. Compared to gasoline vehicles, used EVs are cheaper, and their ownership costs, in the long run, tend to be lower than traditional cars.
• The NEVI initiative aims to provide comprehensive EV charging access across urban and rural areas in the U.S.
• The funding freeze puts thousands of construction jobs at risk, as the NEVI program was anticipated to create about 160,000 jobs nationwide. States have halted their EV infrastructure projects and contracts due to this suspension.
• The president lacks the authority to unilaterally halt a program funded through Congress's bipartisan decision.

Earthjustice's Legal Pursuit

• Earthjustice filed to intervene in a lawsuit involving 17 states contesting the Trump administration’s decision.
• They are collaborating with organizations such as the Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, NRDC, Plug In America, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, CleanAIRE NC, the West End Revitalization Association, and the Southern Environmental Law Center.

• Jan Hasselman, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, emphasized the administration's overreach: “The Trump administration is going rogue by recklessly freezing funds authorized by Congress. We still have three branches of government in this country. Without investments to build out EV charging, the United States will be left behind while the rest of the world moves forward.”

• Earthjustice has a history of challenging similar decisions by the Trump administration, including lawsuits like the one against the abandonment of funding commitments to farmers and small business owners. More details can be found here.