- Lawsuit claims Trump admin unlawfully withheld charger funds.
- Newsom says California will defend the Constitution in court.
- Arizona Delaware Maryland Illinois Michigan and New York sued.
More than a dozen U.S. states are taking legal action against the federal government over what they argue is an unlawful freeze of funding for the national electric vehicle charging network.
At stake is billions of dollars already approved by Congress to expand EV infrastructure across the country, now stalled under the current administration.
Read: Trump Administration Rolls Out Updated EV Charger Program
The lawsuit, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Governor Gavin Newsom, includes 15 other states and the District of Columbia.
It alleges that the U.S. Department of Transportation, under the Trump administration, “has quietly refused to approve any new funding under two electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs,” in direct contradiction of federal law.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in 2022, was designed to deploy thousands of EV charging stations nationwide. But as of this spring, distribution of that funding has slowed to a halt.
In California alone, the program earmarked $59.3 million for medium- and heavy-duty EV freight corridors, $55.9 million for zero-emission freight transport routes, and $63.1 million for repairing and replacing out-of-service chargers.
What’s Being Contested?
The lawsuit argues that the administration’s failure to release these funds violates both the separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how federal agencies implement laws passed by Congress.
Who Else Is on Board?
Backing California’s legal challenge are attorneys general from Arizona, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Their shared position is that the federal government can’t simply decline to carry out programs that were funded and mandated by law.
“The Trump Administration is unlawfully withholding funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — investments Congress approved to build America’s EV charging network, reduce pollution, and create thousands of good-paying jobs. We won’t stand for it,” Governor Gavin Newsom said.
“California will defend the Constitution, our communities, and the future we’re building. With 2.4 million zero-emission vehicles on our roads and critical projects ready to move forward, we’re taking this to court.”
Attorney General Bonta added to the criticism, calling the funding freeze a threat to public health and environmental progress. “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.”
