Latest news with #DOE-funded
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Mitra EV Launches Nation's First Network of Shared Fast Charging Hubs for Small Urban Fleets
Part of DOE-funded Project REEF, Mitra's model debuts in Sacramento to accelerate EV adoption among SMBs SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitra EV, a leader in fleet electrification and charging infrastructure, is removing EV adoption barriers for small and medium fleet owners. On Thursday, May 15th, the company will host a ribbon-cutting of its newest fleet charging hubs in Rancho Cordova—at Sierra Pacific (2576 Mercantile Dr.) and Aztec Solar (11370 Trade Center Dr. #3)—from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Featuring key industry leaders, policymakers, and partners, the event marks a significant milestone in Mitra EV's mission to accelerate fleet adoption of electric vehicles and overcome grid bottlenecks to charger deployment. The event will highlight Project REEF, a U.S. Department of Energy-supported initiative that sets the national standard for scalable, revenue-generating EV infrastructure. With partners across California, Colorado, Ohio, and Georgia, Project REEF revolutionizes fleet electrification by offering turnkey solutions that eliminate key barriers for small and medium businesses (SMBs). The project has already catalyzed additional growth—eleven more charging hubs are under construction. Tim Taylor, Executive Director of the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition, addressed the substantial hurdles SMBs face in adopting EVs: 'While EVs offer significant savings, high upfront costs, complex charging setups, and extensive bureaucratic processes often sideline smaller businesses. Mitra EV's innovative model removes these barriers, ensuring that no fleet is left behind.' SMBs represent the backbone of commercial fleets—99% of fleets in California have fewer than 50 trucks, according to the California Air Resource Board —yet they face the steepest challenges in transitioning to electric. 'Mitra EV's model is designed from the ground up for SMBs,' said James Tong, CEO of Mitra EV. 'We're not just deploying chargers and vehicles—we're building a path to electrification that's financially accessible, operationally simple, and scalable nationwide. Project REEF shows what's possible with public and private sector collaboration.' Mitra EV's turnkey fleet electrification solutions allow SMBs to electrify with no upfront costs, while saving 30–50% on fuel and maintenance. The company handles EV procurement, charging installation, and compliance—simplifying the transition for fleet operators. The May 15 event will include technology demonstrations, discussions with early adopters, and networking with investors, media, and policy leaders. For media inquiries or to RSVP, contact [email protected]. More details at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mitra EV
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine public universities impacted by Department of Energy funding cuts
Apr. 17—Academic associations that represent University of Maine System schools and several other public and private universities are challenging a recent Department of Energy directive that will limit the amount of grant money that can be used by colleges and universities for administrative purposes. The department announced Friday that it would limit "indirect support" for department-funded education costs to 15%, an action that it said would save $405 million. The agency said it provides $2.5 billion annually to colleges and universities for research, some of which goes toward indirect costs for things like facilities and administration. This limit will be imposed on any future department grants to universities. It's unclear exactly how much this policy would impact Maine's public universities, although the University of Maine does receive grant money through the agency. A spokesperson for the system said she could not provide exact numbers Thursday. In a statement posted Friday on its "federal transition" update page, UMaine said it was "analyzing the impact of this announcement on its DOE-funded activity." The university is part of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a Department of Energy program that helps states conduct "sustainable and nationally competitive energy-related research" and has received grants to conduct clean energy and energy storage research in the past. "The purpose of Department of Energy funding to colleges and universities is to support scientific research — not foot the bill for administrative costs and facility upgrades," Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a written statement. "With President Trump's leadership, we are ensuring every dollar of taxpayer funding is being used efficiently to support research and innovation — saving millions for the American people." The university is being indirectly represented in a lawsuit that seeks to at least temporarily stop the policy. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts Monday by a group of public and private colleges and universities. The plaintiffs include Cornell, Princeton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, of which UMaine is a member, and two other university associations under which all UMS schools are represented. In the complaint, the plaintiffs call this action a "carbon copy" of a National Institutes of Health policy that was quickly met with a lawsuit from 22 states. A federal judge temporary halted that directive in February. "If DOE's policy is allowed to stand, it will devastate scientific research at America's universities and badly undermine our Nation's enviable status as a global leader in scientific research and innovation," it said. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Universities sue over Energy Department research funding cuts
A group of universities — including Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — and education groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to halt the Department of Energy's cuts to federal research grants. Last week, the Energy Department (DOE) announced a new policy to reduce the funding of "indirect costs" of research grants to 15%. However, the plaintiffs argue such cuts will "devastate scientific research at America's universities" and "undermine" the nation's status as a global leader in innovation. "The pace of scientific discoveries in the national interest will be slowed," the lawsuit says. "Progress on a safe and effective nuclear deterrent, novel energy sources, and cures for debilitating and life-threatening illness will be obstructed. America's rivals will celebrate, even as science and industry in the United States suffer." The suit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts claims the policy change is unlawful and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. It seeks an injunction. Other plaintiffs include Cornell University, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Princeton University, the University of Rochester, the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. This same court issued a permanent injunction earlier this year against a similar Trump administration research funding cut to the National Institutes of Health. The Energy Department provides over $3.5 billion annually through grant programs to more than 300 colleges and universities to support department-sanctioned research, the agency said in a news release. Some of that goes to "direct costs," such as specific projects, and some to "indirect costs," which aren't attributable to a specific project, such as facilities and administration. The complaint said indirect costs are essential to scientific work, including specialized nuclear-rated facilities, computer systems to analyze huge volumes of data, researchers and administrative staff. Indirect cost rates for grants follow regulations laid out by the Executive Branch's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and are negotiated by federal offices — with each recipient to fit their circumstances and needs. The complaint argues that the Trump administration's DOE Rate Cap Policy violates those regulations and that indirect cost rates should not be a "one-size-fits-all" policy. Meanwhile, the DOE argues that the new policy will generate over $405 million in annual cost savings. "The purpose of Department of Energy funding to colleges and universities is to support scientific research — not foot the bill for administrative costs and facility upgrades," U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. The complaint said the policy's effects "will be immediate and devastating." "Because universities cannot sustain DOE-funded programs at the 15% indirect cost rate that DOE will now inflict, myriad critical projects — often the product of years or decades of effort — are in jeopardy of being stopped in their tracks. These include the development of advanced nuclear and cybersecurity technologies, arms control verification mechanisms designed to reduce the risk of nuclear war, novel radioactive drugs to diagnose and treat cancer, and upgrades for the electrical grids that keep the lights on in rural communities, among many others," the complaint said. The complaint said it would also result in reduced staffing and training programs, damage careers, and impact the next generation of scientists. Under the cuts, Brown University would lose over $2 million annually to its planned research budget, Caltech would lose nearly $6 million, and Cornell University would suffer "a shortfall of roughly $8 million in a typical fiscal year." MIT received $93 million from the DOE in the fiscal year 2024 for sponsored research. This year, if DOE reduces indirect costs rates to 15%, "then MIT forecasts it will lose approximately $15 million to $16 million in reimbursement for costs that support DOE research over the next 12 months alone," the complaint said. The complaint alleges that the cuts violate several aspects of the Administrative Procedure Act and asks the court to find the Rate Cap Policy invalid and order an injunction. NBC News has reached out to the DOE for comment. The suit also names DOE Secretary Chris Wright as a defendant. The American Council on Education said in a statement that the administration cuts "would have an immediate and dire impact on critical energy, physical sciences and engineering research nationwide." The group argued that the slashed funding would weaken America's economic opportunities, workforce pipeline, and families' prosperity. "It would be, quite simply, a self-inflicted wound and a gift to competitors and potential adversaries such as China," the group said. "We will continue to take the action necessary to protect the essential funding that supports Brown research and our country's need for innovative solutions to critical problems," Brown University President Christina H. Paxson said. MIT President Sally Kornbluth said in a statement that DOE grants support the work of nearly 1,000 school community members. Meanwhile, Cornell officials said, "arbitrarily cutting indirect costs will cause irreparable harm to Cornell's research enterprise, paralyze progress on projects of national importance, and threaten the training of the next generation of energy scientists." This article was originally published on
NBC News
15-04-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Universities sue over Energy Department research funding cuts
A group of universities — including Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — and education groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to halt the Department of Energy's cuts to federal research grants. Last week, the Energy Department (DOE) announced a new policy to reduce the funding of "indirect costs" of research grants to 15%. However, the plaintiffs argue such cuts will "devastate scientific research at America's universities" and "undermine" the nation's status as a global leader in innovation. "The pace of scientific discoveries in the national interest will be slowed," the lawsuit says. "Progress on a safe and effective nuclear deterrent, novel energy sources, and cures for debilitating and life-threatening illness will be obstructed. America's rivals will celebrate, even as science and industry in the United States suffer." The suit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts claims the policy change is unlawful and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. It seeks an injunction. Other plaintiffs include Cornell University, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Princeton University, the University of Rochester, the Association of American Universities, the American Council on Education, and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. This same court issued a permanent injunction earlier this year against a similar Trump administration research funding cut to the National Institutes of Health. What are indirect costs? The Energy Department provides over $3.5 billion annually through grant programs to more than 300 colleges and universities to support department-sanctioned research, the agency said in a news release. Some of that goes to "direct costs," such as specific projects, and some to "indirect costs," which aren't attributable to a specific project, such as facilities and administration. The complaint said indirect costs are essential to scientific work, including specialized nuclear-rated facilities, computer systems to analyze huge volumes of data, researchers and administrative staff. Indirect cost rates for grants follow regulations laid out by the Executive Branch's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and are negotiated by federal offices — with each recipient to fit their circumstances and needs. The complaint argues that the Trump administration's DOE Rate Cap Policy violates those regulations and that indirect cost rates should not be a "one-size-fits-all" policy. Meanwhile, the DOE argues that the new policy will generate over $405 million in annual cost savings. "The purpose of Department of Energy funding to colleges and universities is to support scientific research — not foot the bill for administrative costs and facility upgrades," U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. The complaint said the policy's effects "will be immediate and devastating." "Because universities cannot sustain DOE-funded programs at the 15% indirect cost rate that DOE will now inflict, myriad critical projects — often the product of years or decades of effort — are in jeopardy of being stopped in their tracks. These include the development of advanced nuclear and cybersecurity technologies, arms control verification mechanisms designed to reduce the risk of nuclear war, novel radioactive drugs to diagnose and treat cancer, and upgrades for the electrical grids that keep the lights on in rural communities, among many others," the complaint said. The complaint said it would also result in reduced staffing and training programs, damage careers, and impact the next generation of scientists. Under the cuts, Brown University would lose over $2 million annually to its planned research budget, Caltech would lose nearly $6 million, and Cornell University would suffer "a shortfall of roughly $8 million in a typical fiscal year." MIT received $93 million from the DOE in the fiscal year 2024 for sponsored research. This year, if DOE reduces indirect costs rates to 15%, "then MIT forecasts it will lose approximately $15 million to $16 million in reimbursement for costs that support DOE research over the next 12 months alone," the complaint said. The complaint alleges that the cuts violate several aspects of the Administrative Procedure Act and asks the court to find the Rate Cap Policy invalid and order an injunction. 'It would be a self-inflicted wound and a gift to competitors' NBC News has reached out to the DOE for comment. The suit also names DOE Secretary Chris Wright as a defendant. The American Council on Education said in a statement that the administration cuts "would have an immediate and dire impact on critical energy, physical sciences and engineering research nationwide." The group argued that the slashed funding would weaken America's economic opportunities, workforce pipeline, and families' prosperity. "It would be, quite simply, a self-inflicted wound and a gift to competitors and potential adversaries such as China," the group said. "We will continue to take the action necessary to protect the essential funding that supports Brown research and our country's need for innovative solutions to critical problems," Brown University President Christina H. Paxson said. MIT President Sally Kornbluth said in a statement that DOE grants support the work of nearly 1,000 school community members. Meanwhile, Cornell officials said, "arbitrarily cutting indirect costs will cause irreparable harm to Cornell's research enterprise, paralyze progress on projects of national importance, and threaten the training of the next generation of energy scientists."
Boston Globe
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Nine people affiliated with MIT have had visas revoked, university president says
Advertisement One of them independently has filed a lawsuit against the federal government. MIT is not a party to the suit, the letter said, but school officials have been in touch with the student directly. 'We are extremely concerned that there appears to have been no notice or explanation from the government for the revocation,' Kornbluth wrote. 'Our concern extends to all the members of our community who face such unexpected revocations, and we know that our international community — indeed our campus community broadly ― is alarmed by the possibility of future actions,' the letter continued. The letter directed concerned students to guidance documents prepared by MIT's Office of the General Counsel, as well as the International Students Office or the International Scholars Office. 'To live up to our great mission, MIT is driven to pursue the highest standards of intellectual and creative excellence,' Kornbluth wrote. 'That means we are, and must be, in the business of attracting and supporting exceptionally talented people, the kind of people with the drive, skill and daring to see, discover and invent things no one else can.' Advertisement 'To find those rare people, we open ourselves to talent from every corner of the United States and from around the globe,' the letter continued. 'MIT is an American university, proudly so — but we would be gravely diminished without the students and scholars who join us from other nations.' Separately, On Friday, the Department of Energy announced that for grants to universities, it would no longer cover indirect costs at previously agreed-to rates, according to the letter. The new rate was set at 15% and the department said it would terminate all grants unless they conformed to the new blanket rate, the letter said. Such grants support the work of nearly 1,000 members of the MIT community, Kornbluth's letter said. The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Boston named the Department of Energy and its secretary, Chris Wright. 'If DOE's policy is allowed to stand, it will devastate scientific research at America's universities and badly undermine our Nation's enviable status as a global leader in scientific research and innovation,' the 41-page suit said. MIT joined 10 higher education associations and universities, including Brown and Princeton, in the lawsuit. A one-size-fits-all approach to the new rate won't work and 'the harm will be immediate and irreparable,' the lawsuit said. Advertisement 'Because universities cannot sustain DOE-funded programs at the 15% indirect cost rate ... myriad critical projects — often the product of years or decades of effort — are in jeopardy of being stopped in their tracks,' the letter said 'Progress on a safe and effective nuclear deterrent, novel energy sources, and cures for debilitating and life-threatening illness will be obstructed,' the letter said. 'America's rivals will celebrate, even as science and industry in the United States suffer.' Tonya Alanez can be reached at
