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A group of 16 states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. government on Tuesday after President Donald Trump’s administration ended two subsidy programs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said President Trump’s Department of Transportation has refused to approve new funding under two electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs created by Congress as part of the $1 trillion 2022 infrastructure law.
In June, a U.S. judge blocked the Trump administration from withholding money given to 14 states, including California, New York, Illinois and Washington, from another $5 billion electric vehicle charger infrastructure fund that would be approved in 2022.
“This is yet another reckless attempt to slow the fight against air pollution and climate change, slow innovation, hinder green job creation, and deny communities access to clean, affordable transportation,” Bonta said.
One program directs $2.5 billion to states and cities to build EV charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The lawsuit, led by California, Washington and Colorado, said President Trump’s actions “put at risk $1.8 billion in federal aid to dozens of state and local governments, making the majority of these funds unavailable.”
USDOT did not immediately comment.
President Trump has set his sights on electric vehicles on a number of fronts. In June, the Republican president signed a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act that would ban California’s landmark plan to end sales of gasoline-only cars by 2035 and two other auto regulations.
President Trump also signed a bill that eliminates the $7,500 EV tax credit. This month, he proposed lowering fuel economy standards that former President Joe Biden put together last year to make it easier for automakers to sell gasoline-powered cars.
In February, the USDOT suspended a $5 billion EV charging program that was part of Biden’s anti-inflation law and rescinded pre-approval of states’ spending plans.
Reporting by David Shepherdson in Washington. Editing: David Gregorio
