16 US states sue federal government after Trump suspends EV charging programs

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) – A group of 16 states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. government on Tuesday after President Donald Trump’s administration suspended two grant programs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Trump’s Department of Transportation has refused to approve any new funding under two electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs created by Congress as part of a $1 trillion infrastructure law in 2022. 

In June, a U.S. judge blocked Trump’s administration from withholding funds awarded to 14 states including California, New York, Illinois and Washington from a separate $5 billion electric vehicle charger infrastructure fund approved in 2022.

“This is just another reckless attempt that will stall the fight against air pollution and climate change, slow innovation, thwart green job creation, and leave communities without access to clean, affordable transportation,” Bonta said.

One of the programs directs $2.5 billion in funding to states and cities for EV charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The suit, led by California, Washington and Colorado, said Trump’s action “has placed $1.8 billion in federal awards to dozens of state and local governments in jeopardy and made the vast majority of these funds unavailable.”

USDOT did not immediately comment.

Trump has taken aim at electric vehicles on a number of fronts. In June, the Republican president signed a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to bar California’s landmark plan to end sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 and two other vehicle rules.

Trump also signed legislation ending the $7,500 EV tax credit. This month he proposed slashing fuel economy standards that former President Joe Biden had finalized last year, in a push to make it easier for automakers to sell gasoline-powered cars.

USDOT in February suspended the $5 billion EV charging program, part of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and rescinded prior approval of states’ spending plans.

(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)