California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, preventing the Trump Administration from withholding billions in funding intended for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The funds were initially approved by Congress through bipartisan support.
Attorney General Bonta stated, “It is no secret that the Trump Administration is beholden to the fossil fuel agenda. The administration cannot dismiss programs illegally, like the bipartisan Electric Vehicle Infrastructure formula program, just so that the President’s Big Oil friends can continue basking in record-breaking profits.” He further emphasized California’s commitment to defending itself against what he describes as executive branch overreach.
The dispute traces back to 2021 when Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which allocated $5 billion for developing a national network of electric vehicle charging stations under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program. However, on his first day in office, President Trump issued an executive order halting certain fund releases from IIJA, including those meant for NEVI.
In response, Attorney General Bonta joined forces with California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials to lead a coalition of 17 attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration to secure NEVI funds. The court’s decision temporarily blocks Trump’s directive as litigation continues.
A copy of the court order is available for review.
