The Trump administration has ordered US states to suspend a $5bn electric vehicle charging station program, dealing a blow to the environmental movement since the president’s return to the White House. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sent a memo to state transportation directors ordering them not to spend any funds allocated to them under the Biden administration’s national electric vehicle infrastructure (NEVI) program, citing a review of policies. The memo suspended the approval of all state electric vehicle infrastructure deployment plans until updated guidance is issued. Reimbursements for existing obligations will still be allowed. As of Thursday, the FHWA removed website pages related to the NEVI program.
According to Politico, the memo may be in violation of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which restricts presidents from withholding congressionally approved funding. Currently, 14 states have operational EV stations and 41 states have released solicitations for charging stations. Trump has been critical of EVs, previously stating that supporters of the vehicles should “rot in hell” and warning of a “bloodbath” in the automotive industry under Biden’s EV support. Last month, Trump revoked a Biden-era order aiming to make half of all new vehicles sold in the US electric by 2030.
The suspension of the NEVI program is seen as a setback for the environmental movement as advocates push for more sustainable transportation options. The move also highlights the ongoing tension between the Trump administration’s stance on environmental policies and the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change.
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