Sacramento, California – Seventeen states are demanding the president Donald Trump The administration of the retention of billions of dollars in funds for the construction of electric vehicle loaders, according to a federal demand announced on Wednesday.
The measure occurs after the Trump administration in February ordered the states to stop spending money to Electric vehicle load Infrastructure assigned under President Joe Biden. The program set out to assign $ 5 billion for five years to the states, of which $ 3.3 billion had already been made available.
The lawsuit challenges the authority of the Federal Highway Administration to stop the funds, said the Office of the Attorney General of California Rob Bonta. He led the lawsuit with the general prosecutors of Colorado and Washington. They argue the Congress, which approved the money in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Lawholds that authority.
“The president continues to retreat environmental and climate change protections, this time illegally eliminating billions of dollars for the load infrastructure of electric vehicles, all to align the pockets of his great oil friends,” said Bonta, Democrat, in a statement.
Some states with projects that are executed under the program have already been reimbursed by the federal government. Others are still hiring for their sites. Others had stopped their plans when the Trump administration ordered states to stop their expenses. In any case, the installation and operation of these loaders It has been a slow process With hiring challenges, allowing complex electrical delays and updates.
The states were expected to fight the federal government’s efforts to stop the construction of the Nation’s electric vehicle charger. New York, for example, part of the lawsuit, has received more than $ 175 million in federal program of the program, and state officials say the Trump administration is holding $ 120 million.
Even the Electric Automobile manufacturer, led by ELON ALMIZCLEThat he has headed the efforts of the Efficiency Department of the Trump Government, greatly benefited from the financing under the program, receiving millions of dollars to expand its already massive footprint of loaders in the United States.
Despite the threats for the program, experts have said that they expect the construction of evidence to continue, since automobile manufacturers seek to meet mass electrification ambitions.
Consumers who consider an EV concern about the availability of load infrastructure. The infrastructure remains an obstacle to the adoption of people in multifamily housing, rural areas or what is also known as “desert charges”, as well as people without access to local or labor positions, or often conduct longer road routes.
EVS It was in approximately 8% of the sales of new cars in the US. Last year, according to Motorintelligence.com, a sign that the market is growing, although the rhythm has slowed as the automotive industry seeks to convince the main buyers about the choice of EVs. The program was intended to calm some concerns and build infrastructure along the runners of the first road, then board the gaps in other places once the state obligations of the road were fulfilled.
The Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom from California described the retention of illegal funds and said he would kill thousands of jobs in the United States, giving them to China.
“Instead of selling Teslas on the White House grass, President Trump could help Elon, and the Nation, following the law and releasing this bipartisan financing,” said Newsom, referring to Trump’s Trump’s recent purchase of a Tesla In a sample of support for Musk.
The effort of the Trump administration to withdraw funds for electric vehicle loaders is part of a broader thrust to reverse advanced environmental policies under Biden.
During the first week of the Republican President in office, signed executive orders To get the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement again, reverse a 2030 objective for electric vehicles to represent half of the new cars sold and end environmental justice efforts. At the same time, the federal agencies under Trump have delayed the key rules and regulations and have supported the construction of the fossil fuel industry.
The United States House also advanced proposals last week to block California to enforce Vehicle emission rulesIncluding a prohibition of the sale of new cars with gasoline by 2035. The Senate parliamentarian says that California’s policies are not subject to the review mechanism used by the Chamber.
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San Juan reported from Detroit.
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Austin is a member of Associated Press’s body/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America It is a non -profit national service program that places journalists in local writing rooms to inform about undercover issues. Follow Austin in X: @Sophieadanna
