The United States District Court Judge Tana Lin for the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington has issued a preliminary injunction lifting the Trump administration’s unlawful freeze of federal funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
NEVI is the US$5bn initiative to build reliable and convenient fast charging stations for electric vehicles along major highways across the US.
The judge's injunction unfreezes roughly US$1bn in funds for the following States that have challenged the Trump Administration’s NEVI freeze: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, California, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
On May 22, a group of nonprofits — the Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, Earthjustice, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Plug In America, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, CleanAIRE NC, the West End Revitalization Association, and the Southern Environmental Law Center — sought to join the litigation, representing the interests of their members who travel on highways nationwide and are relying on full implementation of the NEVI program.
The group said in a statement about the judge's preliminary injunction: “The administration’s freeze on funding for electric vehicle charging is illegal. This decision underscores just how clearly it violates the law. Our organizations are pleased to see Judge Lin’s decision to restore funding for anyone wanting clean and affordable transportation in these 14 states.
“But this is only a first step. We seek the full, nationwide restoration of NEVI funds so everyone can have the option to go electric, no matter where they live, work, or travel. Many communities that currently lack access to EV charging stations are the same ones already overburdened with air pollution from transportation. Slowing the transition to EVs only prolongs the harm these communities face.
“Unfreezing the NEVI funds is essential for advancing clean, equitable, and more affordable transportation, reducing vehicle pollution, and protecting public health, which is why full implementation of the program is so important.”
