New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has initiated legal action against the Trump Administration to challenge the indefinite suspension of funding for electric vehicle infrastructure. The lawsuit aims to address what is claimed to be an unlawful halt on congressionally approved funds, which could result in New Jersey losing $73 million intended for electric vehicle infrastructure.
Attorney General Platkin stated, "Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress set New Jersey and other states on the path to overhauling transportation infrastructure in response to the growing number of Americans who are purchasing electric vehicles." He criticized President Trump for "defying the will of Congress and denying New Jersey access to critical federal funding," further emphasizing that this action would deprive New Jersey of necessary resources for transportation upgrades.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed by Congress in 2022 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), allocated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI) to develop charging infrastructure across states. However, a recent executive order signed by President Trump on January 20 instructed federal agencies to pause fund disbursements under both IIJA and NEVI.
Despite previous approvals from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as late as November 2024 for New Jersey's plan to implement NEVI, these plans have been revoked following the executive order. This revocation includes halting contracts already awarded for constructing charging stations.
Attorney General Platkin's lawsuit seeks judicial intervention against FHWA’s actions and aims to reinstate electric vehicle infrastructure funding. The suit is supported by attorneys general from Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont.
