A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from suspending funds previously earmarked for the expansion of the national EV charging network. The ruling affects new EV charging infrastructure across 14 U.S. states and several billion dollars in funds.
Per a report from Reuters, the decision was handed down by U.S. District Judge Tana Lin in Seattle, who found that the states challenging the administration’s move are likely to succeed in a lawsuit filed in May.
The funds were halted earlier this year after the U.S. Department of Transportation abruptly paused the program to conduct a review. The pause resulted in a lawsuit alleging that withholding the funds would “devastate the ability of states to build the charging infrastructure necessary to making EVs accessible for more consumers,” with numerous states already planning the construction of new EV charging stations.
Judge Lin’s injunction applies to 14 states that demonstrated potential for immediate harm as a result of the Transportation Department decision. Meanwhile, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, and Vermont, were excluded from the injunction, as the court found they had not proven immediate harm. Washington, D.C., Minnesota, and Vermont are among the 17 plaintiffs suing the Trump administration over the withheld funds.
Judge Lin’s ruling will take effect in seven days, providing the Trump administration with a brief window to file an appeal. Until then, the injunction prevents the federal government from withholding the contested funding.
The current administration has been busy dismantling federal support for electric vehicles, including shutting down roughly 8,000 EV chargers at various federal buildings across the U.S., as well as rolling back emissions standards set under the Biden administration and eliminating the federal tax EV rebate.
The Trump administration has also moved to rescind California’s waiver to set its own emission standards, which would have allowed the Golden State to ban the sale of new ICE-powered vehicles by 2035, a move that GM has opposed.
Comments
I think this was a good addition to the Bipartisan Bill.
Companies most likely would either have taken forever to place Chargers in Rural America or even never. Businesses are there to make money and having chargers for travelers through rural areas would most likely not bring in the cash needed to justify their costs.
Having said all that, the Government did a poor job of implementation of the funds.
If I were in the current Administration I would cut the red tape and get these built out quicker and take the credit for it.
Especially when considering that most rural areas these will be implemented in are so called Red states. Create and keep the jobs this portion of the Bill created as most factories are in so called Red states. I say speed it up and take the credit for it.
It will be a win win win.
1. Trump Administration can say that Biden messed it all up with red take and they came in and fixed it all since it was a Bipartisan Bill.
2. Senators and Governors in rural areas can keep the jobs created and take the credit.
3. The Country gets much needed Rural chargers.
Rural charging is desperately needed and hopefully these will be sped up instead of cancelled. The funds have already been approved.
Who says rural charging is desperately needed? I don’t hear any red state rural folks clambering for expensive EV’s and charging stations. With sub $3 gas there’s not much demand for EV’s.
If they want the $$ from coastal liberal elites from driving their states, they would want this.
If they want lower gas prices because of higher EV adoption, they should want this.
If they want lower healthcare costs due to lower cancer and asthma rates, they should want this.
My 80yr old parents live in rural America and would love better EV charging infrastructure for their trips to visit family.
I’m in the rural. I haven’t found one person interested in a battery powered vehicle.
Only ones I hear talking about ev chargers in the rural are the city folk, wanting to cross the country.
I don’t want my tax dollars supplementing your wants.
Ditto. #1 thing I hear about charging stations in the Midwest is people chopping off the cables for copper.
You obviously need a better social circle.
I don’t want my tax dollars supplementing your wants.
The US fossil fuel industry benefits from an estimated $760 billion annually through subsidies, tax breaks, and unpriced externalities.
Good, then priority #1 should be to get rid of the ETHANOL mandate that subsidizes all the corn farmers by ruining gasoline and engines for everyone else… I don’t want my tax dollars (and ruined boat engines) supplementing your rural rube luddite insanity. Besides, they don’t call it “flyover” country for no reason, who wants to waste time driving though 1000 of miles of nothing?
EVs are 400% more efficient than Ice Cars. My 2019 Chevy Bolt costs me $ 0.03 per mile for electricity and $ 0.03 per mile for tire wear. As far as maintenance, no oil changes and $ 30 per year to rotate the tires. Your on the wrong side of history!
EV’s are not going to change the climate, let’s stop the charade.
But we have plenty of history to show us that ICE’s do harm the environment and create smog. Just look at the improvement in air quality in Los Angeles now versus the 70s.
If that doesn’t convince you, hang out in the garage with your ICE running and tell us if you still disagree.
not as much as making a battery
Any fool can tear down a barn. It takes a talented craftsman to build one.
This will get turned over in a higher court. How many billions did Mayor Buttplug waste to build 8 chargers? Quit wasting taxpayer money.
Yeah, let’s quit trying to help the people. Keep doing what you are doing right, Daniel. Let’s give all this money to the 1% for a tax break. Let’s add on over 4 trillion dollars on the debt right, Daniel. Now what was you saying about wasting our taxpayer money, Daniel.
You sh*tting me? The middle class has been purposely DESTROYED the past 4 years by certain folks. Wake the eff up.
The middle class was destroyed starting with Reagan and massive corporate and wealthy tax cuts. It’s been going on for decades. Biden was finally slowly starting to reverse that trend.
That’s debunked bs claims.
Very little of the funds were actually spent yet. They were allocated to projects.
The power of the purse belongs constitutionally to Congress. Not the president.
Also, you are a disgusting bigot.
Yeah, think of all the military parades we could have with all the tax dollars wasted on EV chargers. /s
Let the people determine needs for this attack on an electric grid that is already terribly overburdened. In areas where battery cars are wanted let the owners pay for chargers through registration and weight fees and do not attempt to to dump the charger responsibility upon the shoulders of the general populace.
That’s good news. The power of the purse belongs constitutionally to Congress. Not the president.
@rEVolutionary
Reading your posts, Reminds me how brainwashed you liberals are!!! Man you need to get out and enjoy life and see things from different lense! Realize that “climate change” or “global warming” are key words that your “elites” use to pawn you into believing their lies!!
I live here in the Midwest and there are very FEW people who actually wnat EVs. They don’t fit the needs and wants of rural America!
I do not want my tax dollars subsidizing poor red states.
@Don
Poor red states huh?? You can have your “blue” cities that are filled with crime, drugs, corruption, and homelessness!!! Ill live in my red state of Iowa where people respect one another, help each other out when times are tough, and understand that hard work pays off and we aren’t looking for any handouts!!! Our tax money shouldn’t be wasted on nonsense
As I have stated so many times here that I will NEVER ever understand why battery tech and EV’s became political. Makes zero sense
This is a car (GM) site but it is now basically CNN and Fox News.
I am totally cool with people stating they do not want an EV personally but to trash them simply due to political views makes zero sense.
I drive an EV but I did not chose it for political nor environmental issues. I chose it because it fits my needs best and it is fast AF.
Having said, I am trying to save up for a refreshed (used) C8 convertible as my side vehicle….want a Ferrari but that will never happen HaHa
Current BEV’s are not currently for everyone or every single edge case.
Some will need ICE no matter what. Might be that way for a very long time.
But to willingly give up the future to China as a GM fan simply due to Political views makes zero sense to me and it never will.
We are either GM fans or not!!!
If you want what is best long term for GM than politics should not come into play.
Administrations come and go…so do technologies.
For the record, our Military uses and needs a Sh*t ton of batteries (and Magnets) and 90% come from China currently. Do what you want with that info I guess.
Lin can pound some sand