Latest news with #NEVIFormulaProgram
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Watchdog says Trump administration illegally halted EV charger funding
The Trump administration is breaking the law by withholding funds appropriated by Congress for a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network, a government watchdog says. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which set out to help build a national network of EV chargers. In February, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said it would rescind all guidance related to the program and that 'no new obligations may occur' under the existing program until it issues updated guidance. A lawsuit over the matter from several states alleges that the department is withholding a total of $2.74 billion in funding. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, this week agreed, saying the Trump administration's move violates the Impoundment Control Act. 'DOT is not authorized … to withhold these funds from expenditure and must continue to carry out the statutory requirements of the program,' the watchdog said. 'If DOT wishes to make changes to the obligation and expenditure of funds appropriated under the NEVI Formula Program, it must propose funds for rescission or otherwise propose legislation to make changes to the law for consideration by Congress,' the GAO continued. A spokesperson for the Transportation Department said in an email that the watchdog's report 'shows a complete misunderstanding of the law.' 'Their conclusion conflicts with Congress' intent, and completely misunderstands the Federal-aid highway program and how Congress structured the NEVI program,' the department said. 'In cherry-picking language in the program statute, GAO's assessment is also at odds with its own reports on how Federal-aid Highway programs similar to NEVI receive and use appropriated funds.' The spokesperson added that the department was reviewing and updating the program guidance 'because the implementation of NEVI has failed miserably, and DOT will continue to work in good faith to update the program so it can be utilized more efficiently and effectively.' While the finding only applies to the EV program, that is just one of many undergoing a funding freeze or cancellation instituted by the Trump administration. Senate Democrats estimate that the administration is blocking a total of $430 billion. 'This legal decision affirms what we've long known: the President is breaking the law to block funding Congress passed on a bipartisan basis and that is owed to the American people — simply because he disagrees with it. This plain fact is unacceptable — and it cannot stand any longer,' Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said in a statement. 'These bipartisan investments need to start flowing immediately — as do the hundreds of billions of dollars in other investments President Trump is holding up. I don't care about Russ Vought's personal interpretation of our spending laws; the Constitution is clear, and President Trump simply does not have the power of the purse — Congress does,' Murray added, referring to the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Watchdog says Trump administration illegally halted EV charger funding
The Trump administration is breaking the law by withholding funds appropriated by Congress for a national electric vehicle (EV) charging network, a government watchdog says. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which set out to help build a national network of EV chargers. In February, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said that it would rescind all guidance related to the program and that 'no new obligations may occur' under the existing program until it issues updated guidance. A lawsuit over the matter from several states alleges that the department is withholding a total of $2.74 billion in funding. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, this week agreed, saying that the Trump administration's move violates the Impoundment Control Act. 'DOT is not authorized …to withhold these funds from expenditure and must continue to carry out the statutory requirements of the program,' the watchdog said. 'If DOT wishes to make changes to the obligation and expenditure of funds appropriated under the NEVI Formula Program, it must propose funds for rescission or otherwise propose legislation to make changes to the law for consideration by Congress,' GAO continued. A spokesperson for the Transportation Department said in an email that the watchdog's report 'shows a complete misunderstanding of the law.' 'Their conclusion conflicts with Congress' intent, and completely misunderstands the Federal-aid highway program and how Congress structured the NEVI program,' the department said. 'In cherry-picking language in the program statute, GAO's assessment is also at odds with its own reports on how Federal-aid Highway programs similar to NEVI receive and use appropriated funds.' The spokesperson added that the department was reviewing and updating the program guidance 'because the implementation of NEVI has failed miserably, and DOT will continue to work in good faith to update the program so it can be utilized more efficiently and effectively.' While the finding only applies to the EV program, that is just one of many undergoing a funding freeze or cancellation instituted by the Trump administration. Senate Democrats estimate that the administration is blocking a total of $430 billion. 'This legal decision affirms what we've long known: the President is breaking the law to block funding Congress passed on a bipartisan basis and that is owed to the American people — simply because he disagrees with it. This plain fact is unacceptable — and it cannot stand any longer,' said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in a written statement. 'These bipartisan investments need to start flowing immediately — as do the hundreds of billions of dollars in other investments President Trump is holding up. I don't care about Russ Vought's personal interpretation of our spending laws; the Constitution is clear, and President Trump simply does not have the power of the purse — Congress does,' Murray added, referring to the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GAO Makes Official What's Been Obvious: Trump Admin Is Breaking Impoundment Control Act
The independent agency embedded within the legislative branch that is designed to review federal spending and make recommendations to Congress on cost savings and waste, as well as investigate policy implementation (the real one, not DOGE), has released a new finding that none of us will find surprising. As part of its 39 different investigations into various actions the Trump administration has taken in the last four months that could qualify as Impoundment Control Act violations, the Government Accountability Office determined this afternoon that the Trump administration has, in fact, done just that. The congressional watchdog found that the Department of Transportation illegally withheld funds when it paused a Biden-era initiative to expand charging stations for electric vehicles across the nation in February. The $5 billion initiative was originally put in motion by the Transportation Department as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, an element of the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by Congress under President Biden. Trump's Transportation Department, however, froze the $5 billion in funding to the project as part of DOGE's rampage through the executive branch. The DOT has claimed that it placed a pause on the funds while it writes new rules for how to disperse the grant money. The Office of Government Accountability was not persuaded by the Trump administration's argument and said that if the new administration wants to make funding changes to the EV charging station program, it needs to — you guessed it — send Congress a rescission package. Or suggest new legislation for Congress to consider. Here's the exact language from the GAO ruling: DOT is not authorized to withhold these funds from expenditure and DOT must continue to carry out the statutory requirements of the program. While DOT cannot withhold these funds under the ICA, DOT could propose funds for rescission or otherwise propose legislation to make changes to the NEVI Formula Program for consideration by Congress. You can read a more detailed breakdown of the findings here. Big picture, the non-partisan congressional watchdog is expected to issue more rulings in coming months as it works its way through nearly 40 other similar investigations into whether the Trump administration has violated the 51-year-old law in other ways. The Trump White House has already called the GAO finding 'wrong' and GAO opinions are, in general, considered nonbinding recommendations to Congress. Such a finding might matter more in an era where congressional Republicans were not already so willing to choke down all of Trump's DOGE cuts. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) put out a compelling statement in response to the ruling saying it 'affirms what we've long known: the President is breaking the law to block funding Congress passed on a bipartisan basis and that is owed to the American people — simply because he disagrees with it.' By now, you've seen the news: the Trump administration is attempting to end Harvard's ability to enroll international students, which make up almost a third of the student population at the university that has thus far not given into Trump's attempts to bend it to his will. The school gave the Times the following statement: 'We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard's ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the university — and this nation — immeasurably,' said Jason Newton, the university's director of media relations. 'We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission.' President Donald Trump is urging the Senate to act on the House-passed reconciliation package 'as soon as possible.' House Republicans narrowly passed their bill — that includes massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP — early this morning after weeks of intraparty fighting that culminated in a Trump intervention this week. But the 'big, beautiful bill' is expected to face major challenges in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is reportedly privately meeting with senators who are against the package's sweeping cuts to Medicaid. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has been very vocal about his opposition to cuts to the social safety net program for weeks. And the Hill is reporting that a group of five to seven Republican senators are concerned about the Medicaid reforms included in the House's reconciliation package. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) has already said he is a 'no' on the bill in its current form, as it does not do enough to address the deficit. Senate Republican leadership is considering taking the House's package and chopping it up into pieces to make it easier to pass. One thing is certain: the problems that plagued the bill's passage in the House aren't going anywhere. And there will be changes to the bill's text once the upper chamber gets its hands on it. — Emine Yücel New from Kate Riga: Supreme Court Kills The Independent Agency. Trump Is King And a scoop from Josh Kovensky: An Outspoken Christian Nationalist Pastor Expands His Sway In Trump's DC House Passes Trump's Reconciliation Bill After Shoving In Larger Medicaid Cuts At Last Minute Federal Judge Calls Out Trump DOJ's Targeting Of Political Rivals In Real Time Welcome To The White Christian Nationalist Presidency Judge Finds DHS Violated Court Order In Sudden South Sudan Removal Scheme Democratic Hill staffer is a contestant on next season of 'Survivor' The Republican Party's Populist Betrayal The Largest Upward Transfer of Wealth in American History
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
States Sue the Government Over Withdrawn EV Charging Station Funds
A group of 17 states led by California, Colorado and Washington are suing the government over billions of dollars in funds for EV charging stations. A lawsuit filed in a Seattle district court cites a 2021 bipartisan $5 billion infrastructure program that was meant to build out charging stations across the US. As recently as early February, that money was expected to continue to roll out to states to add stations. Since then, however, some funds for the program were paused and experts have said that shutting down government-funded EV stations could have its own costs that run to $1 billion. The suit says the Federal Highway Administration, under orders from the presidential administration, is holding back billions that were allocated by Congress. "In total, as of February 6, 2025, the FHWA made $3.27 billion available for obligation for fiscal years 2022 through 2025, including approximately $1.1 billion made available for obligation to Plaintiff States," it says. "In total, the FHWA is withholding approximately $2.74 billion of the $3.27 million in NEVI Formula Program funds available to the States for obligation for fiscal years 2022 through 2025. Collectively, Plaintiff States have been immediately and indefinitely deprived of access to approximately $1 billion in available NEVI Formula Program funds for those four fiscal years." Representatives for the White House and the FHWA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The move to electric vehicles has been steady as more manufacturers have released improved models with better range and features over the years. More than 300,000 EVs were sold in the US from January to March. Charging stations, which allow EV drivers more mobility over long distances, are a key part of the transition. And the switch to EVs has been cited as a major driver of combating climate change globally. Since becoming president in January, Trump has attempted to halt progress on many Biden-era climate-forward initiatives. As with the EV chargers lawsuit, states and cities are stepping in to take action on climate due to a lack of national leadership on the issue.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
States navigate roadblocks around building new EV charging stations
Electric vehicles are growing in popularity, but finding a place to charge them can still be difficult depending on where people live. States are trying to build out their EV infrastructure but have faced some roadblocks in accelerating the transition. A Pew Research Center survey from 2024 found an estimated 6 in 10 urban residents live within a mile of a public charging station, but that number drops to around 41% of suburban dwellers and just 17% of rural Americans. "At the end of the day, we have more work to do to make sure that more and more folks feel comfortable and confident when they're driving their electric vehicles," said Joe McAndrew, an assistant secretary at the Maryland Department of Transportation. Maryland ranks in the top 10 of the most EV-friendly states, according to a 2023 survey by iSeeCars, with Vermont, California, Massachusetts and Colorado leading the list, which ranked cities based on residents per EV charger. The bipartisan infrastructure law passed under the Biden administration in 2021 provided around $7.5 billion to build high-speed chargers at least every 50 miles through a new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program known as NEVI. However, it's taken years to get construction going for many states. Maryland is set to break ground on Phase 1 of its NEVI projects in the coming weeks, including around 120 fast-charging ports at 22 locations on the most frequented roadways. "We were being asked for the first time ever to learn and grow and build an EV infrastructure," McAndrew said about the delay, saying it took time at the state and federal level to get teams and strategies in place. However, future phases of NEVI projects nationwide are on hold, as the Trump administration's Transportation Department and Federal Highway Administration reevaluate the program, which requires Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to approve plans for each state. State Transportation departments received a letter in February stating no new obligations will occur during the pause, though reimbursement of existing obligations will continue. "In the three and a half years since the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, approximately 84 percent of the NEVI Formula Program funds remain unobligated – a clear indicator that the program needs major reform," the Department of Transportation told CBS News in a statement. "FHWA is working to fix the NEVI Formula Program Guidance to address the backlog and align with this administration's priorities of safety, efficiency, and innovation," the statement continued, referring to the highway agency. McAndrew expressed optimism the program will continue to move forward, noting state leaders are committed to continued progress on efforts to expand the EV charging network. "It might slow us down, but we're also pretty confident that the funds will show up," McAndrew said. "The U.S. Department of Transportation hasn't pulled back funds. They're ultimately reevaluating the regulations with which we use those funds." Meanwhile, EV advocacy groups say an even larger challenge remains: addressing a lack of charging capability within multifamily housing, especially within older apartment and condo buildings. "The highway infrastructure, I think, is going to be really good; still building and the private sector is doing a great job with that," said Andy Fraser, a board member with the national Electric Vehicle Association. "I think the challenge is people who don't have the luxury of being able to charge in their own home." Fraser pushed his community in Montgomery County, Maryland, to create a policy for permitting home chargers on public rights of way, since his home does not have a driveway or garage. He paved the way for chargers to be placed on public sidewalks in front of an individual's home so he could make use of one at his home. "How can we be a green county if we don't even allow people to charge on the street? So that was my argument and it happened," Fraser said of the change enacted five years ago. Fraser also had to recircuit and upgrade his home's older electrical box to accommodate the charger. Still, he feels the effort was well worth it and has already paid for itself in savings on gasoline and maintenance. "There's no going back right now. All the manufacturers are committed to EVs, but the faster we get there, the better it is for the planet," he said. California, the state with the largest number of EV drivers, aims to improve the situation at new multifamily housing sites through its new building code set to take effect in January 2026. It will require new multifamily housing projects to provide at least one Level 2 EV charging receptacle at a parking space for each unit and will also require chargers for residents and guests in 25% of common-use parking spaces. Nationally, state leaders say public-private partnerships will be key to tackling the problem. "At the end of the day," said McAndrew, "we have more work to do to make sure that more and more folks feel comfortable and confident when they're driving their electric vehicles." Russian foreign minister on latest Kyiv strikes: "We only target military goals" Judge halts own order demanding Kilmar Abrego Garcia updates Russia launches more attacks on Ukraine after President Trump issues rare rebuke to Putin
