Funding through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program has been paused with a change in leadership at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Passed by Congress in 2021, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program allocated a total of $5 billion to establish a nationwide network of electric charging stations.
A Federal Highway Administration letter dated Thursday, Feb. 6 said, “The new leadership of the Department of Transportation has decided to review the policies underlying the implementation of the NEVI Formula Program.”
All previous National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program guidance has been rescinded as the FHWA updates the program to “align with current U.S. DOT policy and priorities,” the letter said.
(H3) Washington state was set to receive $71 million for electric vehicle chargers, while $59 million was previously awarded to 91 projects in Pennsylvania and $110 million was to be invested in Michigan, to name just a few.
The Federal Highway Administration said it plans to have updated National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure guidance published for public comment in the spring.
Until that time, no new obligations may occur until new program guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted and approved. States will be held harmless under the FHWA suspension of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, and reimbursement of existing obligations will be allowed to avoid the disruption of current financial commitments.
Advanced Clean Trucks
States set to implement Advanced Clean Trucks this year are now facing uncertainty due to the same executive order that suspends the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program funding.
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington were set to require manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero-direct-emission trucks through model year 2035.
The lack of a charging infrastructure is among the biggest hurdles facing the adoption of electric trucks. Under the executive order signed in late January, no federal grants to build out that electric charging infrastructure will be approved.
“For regional and over-the-road operations, the lack of charging stations makes it impossible for trucking fleets to transition to battery-electric vehicles,” said Kendra Hems, president of the Trucking Association of New York.
Washington Trucking Association President Sheri Call told Land Line that state funding for charging stations will likely be inadequate without supplemental federal support. New Jersey Motor Truck Association President Helder Rebelo said the group supports “the most cost-effective and convenient method of moving our nation’s freight.”
House T&I Committee opposes DOT suspension
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure detailed its opposition to the electric vehicle funding freeze in a letter sent to the DOT secretary on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
“As members of Congress, we will fiercely defend investments enacted on a bipartisan basis by elected officials from across the country,” the House T&I Committee said. “Actions taken by the department over the last two weeks show a blatant disregard for Congress, for the law, for the state and for the local partners who deliver infrastructure projects and for American workers.”
The committee urged the U.S. DOT to “rethink and rescind this damaging action.”
“We support cleaner, greener, safer, more accessible infrastructure — and the NEVI program is a step in the right direction to meet these goals,” the committee said. LL
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