A coalition of 17 attorneys general and one state filed a lawsuit Tuesday to restore EV charger funding blocked by the Trump administration. The legal action targets the U.S. Department of Transportation for stopping approvals tied to two national charging programs created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed during the Biden administration.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the case focuses on economic growth, public health, and environmental stability. He said the funding pause blocks projects designed to cut emissions, reduce smog, expand access to electric vehicles, and support clean energy jobs across multiple states.
The dispute centers on two federal programs managed by the Department of Transportation. One supports the rollout of a nationwide public charging network. The other focuses on repairing, replacing, and upgrading public chargers that fail to operate. Combined, the programs represent close to $3 billion in federal support.
Why EV charger funding is at the center of the dispute
According to the lawsuit, federal officials stopped approving new projects in early 2025 without formal notice. States say the action forced them to halt construction plans and delay future station deployments. Several projects had already cleared earlier review stages before approvals stopped.
The Department of Transportation did not issue an immediate response. State officials argue the silence reflects a broader policy shift tied to EV charger funding after changes in federal energy priorities.
The attorneys general of California, Colorado, and Washington are leading the case. Other participants include Arizona, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. California Governor Gavin Newsom, the state transportation department, and the state energy commission also joined as plaintiffs.
This lawsuit follows an earlier legal challenge filed in May over EV charger funding tied to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. That dispute involved a $5 billion funding pause aimed at building a nationwide charging network.
The earlier case stemmed from a February decision linked to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order directed federal agencies to roll back policies seen as favoring electric vehicles over other technologies. State officials argue the decision led to the withholding of money approved by Congress.
In June, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in the earlier case. The ruling restored about $1 billion to participating states and found the funding freeze unlawful. That decision now shapes the legal strategy in the current EV charger funding fight.
In the new filing, the states argue that refusing to release approved money violates the separation of powers. They are asking the court to permanently block the administration from withholding EV charger funding and to require the release of funds already authorized by law.
