Latest news with #NationalElectricVehicleInfrastructureProgram
Technical.ly
01-07-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Philly weekly roundup: Election deepfakes legislation; Pitch at PACT; Carisma Therapeutics merger
This week in Philly, an interactive map to find local donation sites, school robotics is struggling and more. Read on for weekly roundup of top news in the region. 📰 News Incubator: What else to know • Philadelphia recently ranked in the top 15 startup ecosystems in the world, proving the success of the region's tech coalition building. But, CEO Chris Wink wonders, why are people hesitant to acknowledge the win? [ ] • New Jersey's Transportation Needs Index provides data visualization about the state's transit infrastructure. The tool helps leaders see where more investments need to be made. [ ] • The Pennsylvania House approved a bill that bans the use of generative AI for deepfakes that would misrepresent election candidates. [ PA House ] • Are you planning to raise capital in the near future? Apply to pitch at PACT's annual Mid-Atlantic Capital Conference this fall. The deadline is July 31. [ PACT ] • The Shapiro Administration announced six new electric vehicle charging stations across the commonwealth, funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. [ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ] • Medtech startup Vesteck is developing a type of endosuture called Suture-Tight to reinforce repairs on aortic aneurysms. Read all about it and 16 other startups we've profiled this year. [ / ] • Amazon plans to invest $20 billion in tech jobs and infrastructure in Pennsylvania, including two data centers. However, critics say there are drawbacks to this plan, including the amount of energy the data centers will use and a tax exemption for the tech giant. [ / Spotlight PA ] • Penn Spinout Carisma Therapeutics entered a merger agreement with OrthoCellix. This deal comes shortly after the company laid off most of its staff earlier this year. [ Philly Biz Journal ] • Tech education org Hopeworks selected five honorees to recognize for their contributions to the program as part of its 25th anniversary celebration this fall. [ LinkedIn ] • Small business resource org the Enterprise Center is shifting its strategy away from accelerators and incubators to focus on helping founders find capital. [ Philly Biz Journal ] 🗓️ On the Calendar • If you like drones and food, join DC215 for its hacker BBQ potluck on July 5. [ Details ] • Vote to choose the winner at Founders Live Philadelphia, a national pitch competition that will be in the city on July 8. [ Register ] • Mark your calendars for Code for Philly's July hack night. Join the civic tech group in person at Indy Hall on July 8. [ Register ]
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- 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.''
