The Trump administration has directed US states to halt the $5 billion electric vehicle charging station program, dealing another blow to the environmental movement since the president’s return to the White House.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the Federal Highways Agency (FHWA) of the Transportation Agency ordered states not to utilize funds allocated under the Biden administration’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
Emily Biondi, assistant manager of planning, environment, and real estate at FHWA, wrote in a memo, “The new leadership of the Department of Transportation has chosen to reassess the policies guiding the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program.” Biondi added, “Therefore, the current NEVI Formula Program Guidance dated June 11, 2024, supersedes all previous versions of this guidance.”
Biondi further stated, “As a consequence of the withdrawal of guidance for the NEVI Formula Program, FHWA has ceased immediately the approval of all plans for electric vehicle infrastructure deployment in all states. Therefore, the updated final NEVI Formula Program is effective immediately. No new obligations will be incurred under the NEVI Formula Program until new guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted and approved.”
Biondi mentioned that existing obligations for the design and construction of charging stations will be reimbursed to prevent disruption in current financial commitments until new guidance is issued.
According to the page on the Energy Department website, the NEVI program funds states to strategically deploy EV chargers, covering up to 80% of qualified project costs.
In a report by Politico on Thursday, FHWA has removed several website pages containing information about the NEVI program.
Andrew Rogers, a former FHWA administrator under the Biden administration, stated to Politico that the memo “appears to disregard federal court rulings and multiple injunctions.”
Currently, 14 states have operational EV stations, as reported by EV Clearing House. As of November last year, there was an 83% increase in open NEVI ports from the previous quarter, with 126 public charging ports at 31 NEVI stations in nine states.
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A total of 41 states have released solicitations for EV charging stations, with over 3,560 fast charging ports at more than 890 locations.
During his campaign, Trump opposed EVs, suggesting that EV supporters should “rot in hell” and that Biden’s backing of EVs would lead to a “bloodbath” in the US automotive industry.
One of the executive orders Trump signed shortly after taking office aimed to ensure that half of all new vehicles for sale in the US between 2021 and 2030 would be revoked.
Source: www.theguardian.com
