Overview

• Seventeen states, led by California, Colorado, and Washington, filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration for pausing $3.3 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program funding.
• The NEVI program, established under the 2022 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, allocated $5 billion over five years to expand EV charging networks nationwide.
• The lawsuit argues that only Congress has the authority to rescind appropriated funds and seeks to compel the release of withheld funding.
• State officials warn that the funding freeze has delayed or halted critical EV charger projects, exacerbating existing challenges like permitting delays and infrastructure gaps.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the move as illegal, claiming it jeopardizes U.S. climate goals, job creation, and competitiveness against China in the EV sector.