Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to halt funding for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. The lawsuit seeks to prevent what state officials describe as an unlawful termination of billions in federal funds that Congress approved for this purpose.

The funding at issue was provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This legislation allocated $5 billion over five years to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI), designed to support the nationwide deployment of EV charging stations and improve access for drivers. Michigan was set to receive $87 million in NEVI funds from 2022 through 2025.

According to state officials, President Trump ordered federal agencies on January 20 to pause all disbursements under both the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes NEVI program money. Following this directive, the Federal Highway Administration informed states in February that it would revoke previous approvals for state plans and would not obligate further funds for NEVI projects. As a result, about $29 million in NEVI funding earmarked for Michigan is currently unavailable.

Nessel commented on the impact of these actions: “The Trump Administration's decision to unilaterally cut off these funds is not only unlawful – it jeopardizes Michigan’s EV infrastructure, while threatening our economic growth and environmental progress,” she said. “I will continue working to protect this critical funding and the future of transportation in our state.”

The legal action includes attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania have also joined the suit.