Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin Sues to Stop Illegal Indefinite Suspension of Federal Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program

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TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today joined a lawsuit to stop the Trump Administration from illegally and indefinitely withholding billions in congressionally approved funding for electric vehicle infrastructure. Due to the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to halt the electric vehicle infrastructure program Congress created, New Jersey stands to lose $73 million in electric vehicle infrastructure funding.

“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,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Instead of supporting these infrastructure investments and paving the way toward a more sustainable future, President Trump is once again defying the will of Congress and denying New Jersey access to critical federal funding. This lawless and reckless freeze will harm our state, taking away over $70 million that would have supported critical transportation infrastructure upgrades in New Jersey.  We are committed to restoring this critical funding for our state, and we’ll see the Trump Administration in court.”

In 2022, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. One provision of the IIJA appropriated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, or NEVI Program, to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the states.

On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order requiring all federal agencies to pause disbursement of funds under the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act, including NEVI funding. Even though Congress required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to fund NEVI, the FHWA notified states in early February that the agency was revoking all previously approved plans to implement NEVI, a requirement for funding under IIJA.

The federal government had previously approved the State of New Jersey’s plan to implement NEVI, including as recently as November 2024.  In 2024, the State awarded a contract for the construction of these charging stations.

The lawsuit filed today by Attorney General Platkin and 16 other attorneys general seeks a court order against FHWA’s unlawful actions and a restoration of electric vehicle infrastructure funding for the states.

Attorney General Platkin is joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Vermont.

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