A federal district judge in Washington has ordered that $5 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funds must be made available to states, after having been illegally frozen in February. The court's ruling permanently protects the NEVI program across all 50 states and rules against the Department of Transportation.
This decision comes as a major victory for states and nonprofits involved in the lawsuit. The NEVI program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress in 2021, with the goal of helping states build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country.
Since then, every state has submitted a plan and the money has been assigned to projects around the country in various levels of completion, with several charging stations already open. The court's ruling also highlights the importance of following the law and avoiding arbitrary and capricious actions by federal agencies.
With this decision, the Department of Transportation must now follow the law and ensure that the NEVI funds are disbursed efficiently. This is a significant win for the states and nonprofits involved in the lawsuit, and it marks an important step forward in the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country.
This ruling is a clear victory for the states and nonprofits who fought to ensure that the NEVI funds were disbursed as intended. It highlights the importance of following the law and avoiding arbitrary and capricious actions by federal agencies. As the electric vehicle industry continues to grow, it's essential that we have a reliable and efficient system in place for charging infrastructure development.
