A group of environmental organizations sued the Trump administration Tuesday, adding to a broader legal fight led by Democratic states accusing the Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration of unlawfully freezing billions in funding for electric vehicle charging programs.
The complaint, filed by Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice, challenges the department’s hold on $2.5 billion in funding distributed through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program (CFI) created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The lawsuit argues that the administration unlawfully blocked most of the congressionally approved funding despite already promising over 140 charging grants totaling almost $1.8 billion to state, local and tribal governments, putting crucial planned charging projects at risk and prolonging exposure to pollution from gas-powered vehicles.
“This program will cut emissions, improve mobility and expand charging access, especially in the communities that need it most,” said Beth Hammon, a senior advocate at NRDC. “This unlawful freeze has stalled projects that local governments and tribes have already planned for and invested in. The longer it goes on, the more projects are at risk.”
