Latest news with #NationalElectricVehicleInfrastructureProgram
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee program makes progress on EV chargers while frozen federal projects languish
Tennessee has closed a loop of electric vehicle chargers in the state even as a federally-funded program to round out Tennessee's charging network remains halted. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Tennessee closed a loop of electric vehicle chargers connecting Nashville, Knoxville, Cookeville and Chattanooga in May, marking a significant milestone in the state's push to support EV adoption. Meanwhile, a federally funded program intended to round out Tennessee's EV charging network — particularly on the state's major interstates and U.S. 64 — has been halted since February at the instruction of President Donald Trump's administration. Tennessee's Fast Charge TN program aims to position an EV charger every 50 miles along Tennessee interstates and highways. In the roughly 400-mile loop closed in May with the installation of chargers in the small town of Athens, EV drivers can now access chargers every 34 miles. The state's $24 million program is funded separately through funds from the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust, electricity revenues from TVA and cost share from grant recipients. Some U.S. Republicans are pushing to keep energy tax credits. Tennessee lawmakers aren't among them. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Office of Energy Programs released a Notice of Intent for the Fast Charge program's second round in February and expects to solicit projects for 13 gap areas throughout the state 'in the coming months.' Fast Charge TN's federally backed counterpart remains at a standstill. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI) allocated up to $5 billion to support EV charger installation along 'Alternative Fuel Corridors' across the nation. Tennessee was set to receive $88 million over a 5-year period to complete a plan created by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Upon taking office, Trump issued an executive order to pause the disbursement of federal grant money for programs supporting electric vehicles and clean energy initiatives under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration officially suspended NEVI funding in February, despite having already approved states' program plans. TDOT awarded $21 million in NEVI funds to 10 applicants in January 2024 to install 30 new charging locations, but none of those contracts have been executed as the pause remains in effect, according to TDOT Community Relations Director Beth Emmons. Sixteen states, Washington D.C. and multiple environmental and clean energy groups sued the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration in a Washington federal court in May, arguing the federal agencies had no authority to freeze funds already appropriated by Congress. The Executive Branch, the suit contends, cannot 'override or suspend this process based on changing policy priorities.' EVs in Tennessee: Uncertainty abounds as Trump targets Biden-era electric vehicle funding Tennessee is not one of the plaintiffs. Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee's Congressional representatives have largely been mum on the tension between the state's work to grow the EV industry and the Trump administration's efforts to retract federal support. Tennessee has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into incentives and grants to entice EV-related businesses to locate their manufacturing plants in the state. Lee and the state's economic development department have celebrated the hundreds of jobs promised by EV enterprises since 2017, many in rural areas. All but one of Tennessee's representatives in the U.S. House voted in favor of an amended version of Trump's budget reconciliation bill — which would eliminate electric vehicle tax credits for consumers and create new annual taxes for EV and hybrid owners — in May. Lee also celebrated the bill's passage in the House, and did not respond to a request for comment regarding the potential impact to Tennessee's EV industry. The bill must pass in the U.S. Senate to become law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CBS News
13-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Howard County Executive Ball discusses local impact of federal workforce and funding cuts during Senate hearing
During a Senate committee hearing Wednesday, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball discussed the impacts that federal workforce and funding cuts would have on infrastructure and public safety in the county and state. Since taking office in January, President Trump has launched an effort to reduce federal spending and make the government more efficient with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force led by Elon Musk. The task force said it is dedicated to rooting out government waste and fraud, according to CBS News. A recent spike in layoffs has been attributed, in part, to DOGE's federal workforce reduction strategy. CBS News reported that layoffs in February reached their highest levels since 2020. The most recent round of layoffs targeted the Department of Education, leading to a 50% cut in its workforce. DOGE has also directed several funding freezes and cuts, prompting concerns and leading to more workforce cuts for some. Some of these actions have been blocked by federal judges in ongoing legal battles. Howard County impacts During Wednesday's hearing led by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), County Executive Ball testified that DOGE's actions would impact critical infrastructure, public safety and government operations in Howard County. The county executive thanked senators for "...holding Elon Musk and the White House accountable for the drastic actions it's taken in the form of funding freezes, undermining money-saving energy secure projects and eliminating jobs nationwide." According to Ball, if federal aid to Howard County is frozen or cut, the estimated impact could reach more than $150 million. "These actions have very real consequences - many of which will negatively impact Americans' lives and our national and local economy," Ball testified. The county executive explained that the Ellicott City Safe and Sound plan – which launched in 2018 after deadly floods in 2011, 2016 and 2018 destroyed Main Street – relies on federal funding. The funding plan includes a $75 million WIFIA loan from the Environmental Protection Agency and $20 million in funding from FEMA. According to Ball, the Ellicott City Safe and Sound plan costs about $250 million, with ⅓ being supported by federal funding. As of Wednesday, March 12, at least $20 million in FEMA funds have been frozen. "Uncertainty about federal funding places Howard County in an extremely precarious position, assuming tremendous financial risk," Ball said. More than $4 million in funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program was also paused, jeopardizing electric vehicle charging projects that were planned for the county in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation, according to Ball. Howard County has tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors, according to Ball. The county receives the second-highest amount of federal contracting dollars in Maryland, which totaled $6.1 billion in 2024. Ball said an estimated 30,000 federal workers in Maryland have been fired, eliminated or resigned. Howard County shares resources for federal workers Since layoffs and workforce cuts began, Howard County has created several initiatives and shared resources for impacted federal workers. In early March, the county expanded workforce development resources by creating job fairs and offering career counseling services. The county also created a business resource expo and launched a helpline for federal workers who need assistance.
NBC News
27-02-2025
- Automotive
- NBC News
Billions of dollars for EV charging stations on hold
The Trump administration has ordered states to suspend creating new EV charging stations through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The Biden administration had pushed for $5 billion of funding with the promise of 500,000 charging ports across the country. NBC News' Brian Cheung reports on the country's ongoing range anxiety.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump halted electric vehicle plans as SC worked to deploy charging stations
South Carolina transportation officials have put on hold a state effort to establish electric vehicle charging stations after President Donald Trump said he is suspending plans approved by former President Joe Biden's administration. Trump sent a memo Thursday to state transportation departments across the country, telling them the administration would suspend the Biden administration plans until new rules are established this spring, the Washington Post reported Friday. The program, called the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, or NEVI, committed some $5 billion to help states create a network of charging stations. Funding would include paying for rapid charging stations, or those that can energize a car in less than an hour. The state Department of Transportation has been working to establish fast changing stations in South Carolina as the state has embraced the manufacture of electric vehicles. All told, South Carolina was set to get nearly $70 million for electric vehicle charging stations. 'SCDOT has paused any further activity on the NEVI Formula Program in accordance with President Trump's recent executive order,'' state transportation department spokeswoman Hannah Robinson said in an email Friday. 'We will await further guidance from the Federal Highway Administration.'' Robinson's email did not provide details, but the Trump administration memo indicated some projects might be halted over others. Electric vehicle supporters were disappointed, saying the SC DOT had made progress in trying to establish charging stations along major road corridors in South Carolina. Federal money would pay for fast charging stations along interstate highways. Now, that funding is up in the air. 'This is definitely not good for South Carolinians,'' said Evan Renshaw, who follows the issue for the Conservation Voters of South Carolina. With about 20,000 electric vehicles in South Carolina, people 'need the ability to charge them when they are traveling across the state,'' he said. South Carolina has hundreds of charging stations, but many of those have slower chargers that can take a day to fully energize a vehicle, he said. Renshaw said the state needs more fast-charging stations along interstates to serve not only people who live here, but also vacationers who are coming to South Carolina. Without the charging stations, tourists with electric cars might vacation in states with more places to energize their cars, he said. He and Stan Cross, the electric transportation director at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said the state had been on the verge of deploying charging stations along interstates when the Trump missive came down.. The idea was to establish stations every 50 miles. Depending on the brand, an electric vehicle can travel 150 to 300 miles on a single charge, Renshaw said. Highways expected to get charging stations through the Biden Administration commitment include I-26 near Columbia and Charleston; I-85 in the Greenville area; I-95 near Hardeeville; and I-20 near Florence. 'It is disappointing to have uncertainty brought into the NEVI program,'' Cross said. 'The S.C. Department of Transportation has been running a really high quality stakeholder engagement process to understand how best to deploy fast charging stations along the state's major corridors.'' Republican Trump has been critical of non-traditional forms of energy, ranging from wind-generated electricity to electric vehicles. The president has criticized the use of federal money to pay for electric vehicle chargers, saying they were 'an incredible waste of taxpayer dollars,'' The Associated Press reported. Boosters of electric cars and trucks note that, unlike gasoline-fired vehicles, they do not release pollution that contributes to global warming. Electric vehicles also are not dependent on price fluctuations for fuel, like gasoline propelled cars are. Trump's memo to state transportation departments said the U.S. Department of Transportation's new leadership has decided to review Democrat Biden's NEVI program. As a result, all previous guidance on the program was rescinded, the letter said. At this point, it is not known if Trump's action will sink the program South Carolina was depending on to install electric chargers, since his administration is developing new rules. Both Renshaw and Cross said Biden's federally funded electric vehicle charging effort dovetailed with the state's embrace of electric vehicles. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, a Trump supporter, has been one of the electric vehicle industry's primary champions in South Carolina. Scout Motors, as a result of efforts by McMaster's office and others, is building an electric vehicle plant near Columbia that will employ 4,000 people. Other companies have established battery plants to serve the emerging industry. 'South Carolina has a lot at stake,'' Cross said. 'The state has been very successful at attracting electric vehicle and battery manufacturing are bringing in good quality jobs and it's in the state's best interest to see this market succeed.''
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tennessee's own EV charging program still running as Trump hits brakes on federal grants
As President Donald Trump orders halts to electric vehicle charger grants, a similar Tennessee program is still moving forward. () Tennessee is pushing forward with a state-level grant program to build new electric vehicle chargers on the state's interstates and major highways even as President Donald Trump's administration blocks similar spending from federal coffers. The state will solicit applications this spring for the second round of grant funding for the Fast Charge TN Network Grant Program. The $24 million program seeks to add about 65 new fast-charging locations to fill infrastructure gaps along Tennessee interstates and highways. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Valley Authority created the program in 2021 to fund a network of fast-charging stations at least every 50 miles along the state's major arteries. The grant is funded by $7.5 million from Tennessee's cut of the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust, electricity revenues from TVA and cost share from grant recipients. TDEC Senior Communications Advisor Jennifer Donnals said in an email that the Fast Charge TN program will not be affected by the Trump administration's freeze of funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI). The $5 billion Biden-era program supports EV charger installation along 'Alternative Fuel Corridors' across the nation. The state and federal programs 'have complementary goals,' Donnals said. Roadways covered by the NEVI program include all of Tennessee's two-digit interstates and the majority of U.S. 64. EVs in Tennessee: Uncertainty abounds as Trump targets Biden-era electric vehicle funding 'The second round of Fast Charge TN is aimed at funding projects along prioritized corridors that NEVI funds cannot currently address with the goal of avoiding duplicative efforts and funding,' Donnals said. Establishing a statewide fast-charging network 'improves transportation efficiency, reduces vehicle emissions, promotes EV adoption, and strengthens the resiliency of our transportation network,' according to a TDEC announcement published on Feb. 3. About 50 projects have been completed or are under development under the first round of Fast Charge TN funding, Donnals said. The second and final funding round will complete the program's build out. Tennessee's electric vehicle manufacturing industry has grown significantly in the past decade, and is anticipated to create thousands of jobs, particularly in rural communities. Funding changes under the Trump administration have stirred uncertainty about the industry's future. In the early days of his second term, Trump's administration has taken steps to halt funding for Biden-era clean energy initiatives under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program allocated $88 million to Tennessee to fund the installation of electric vehicle chargers along major corridors over a 5-year period. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration issued a memo Thursday putting spending for NEVI on hold and rescinding the agency's prior approval of states' plans for the program. 'Therefore, effective immediately, no new obligations may occur under the NEVI Formula Program until the updated final NEVI Formula Program Guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted and approved,' the memo states. While new spending is blocked, states may reimburse existing obligations 'in order to not disrupt current financial commitments,' the memo states. New guidance is anticipated this spring. Trump previously signaled a halt to NEVI spending in an executive order upon returning to office. The Tennessee Department of Transportation oversees the program in Tennessee, and awarded $21 million to 10 applicants in January 2024 to install 30 new charging locations. While TDOT has awarded federal funding, the contracting process is ongoing, TDOT Community Relations Director Beth Emmons wrote in an email in January. Emmons said she believes federal decisions on the fate of the program's funding will 'be known by the time we are ready to enter into any official contract.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
