US judge blocks Trump admin from withholding EV charger funds to 14 states
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from withholding funding previously awarded to 14 states for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.US District Judge Tana Lin, based in Seattle, ruled that the states are likely to succeed in their legal challenge, which argues the federal government acted unlawfully by suspending billions in grants meant to expand EV charging networks. The funds were part of a broader federal push to support EV adoption.advertisementThe US Department of Transportation halted the program in February and rescinded state plans while conducting an internal review.
Judge Lin's injunction does not apply to the District of Columbia, Minnesota, and Vermont, which also joined the lawsuit but failed to show they would face immediate harm from the funding freeze.Her order will take effect in seven days, giving the Trump administration a window to appeal and potentially seek a stay from a higher court.In February, the Trump administration halted states from using USD 5 billion allocated through the Biden-era National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.The initiative was designed to cover up to 80 per cent of project costs for building electric vehicle charging stations. As of now, at least 16 states have one or more operational EV stations, according to the EV States Clearinghouse.advertisementIn May, the Government Accountability Office concluded that the Trump administration broke the law by withholding funds from the electric vehicle program. It stated that the administration is legally obligated to implement the program as mandated.The White House rejected the findings, calling them 'wrong and legally indefensible,' and instructed the Department of Transportation to disregard them. The department is now expected to release a draft of its revised electric vehicle guidance later this month.- Ends(With inputs from Reuters)Tune InMust Watch
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