New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin announced Wednesday that the state has joined a multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s recent freeze on electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure funding, alleging the move unlawfully withholds billions of dollars previously approved by Congress.
At issue is $5 billion in federal funding allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—officially known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—which was passed by Congress in 2022. The funds were designated for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, aimed at building a nationwide EV charging network. According to Platkin, New Jersey is at risk of losing $73 million in funding under the program.
The lawsuit, filed by Platkin and attorneys general from 16 other states and the District of Columbia, seeks to compel the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to restore the funding and resume implementation of previously approved EV infrastructure plans.
The legal action follows a January 20 executive order from President Donald Trump directing all federal agencies to pause disbursement of funds tied to the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act. As a result, the FHWA informed states in early February that it was revoking approval of NEVI implementation plans, which are required to access the funds.
New Jersey’s NEVI plan had been approved by the FHWA as recently as November 2024. The state had already begun the process of constructing EV charging stations, including awarding a major contract in 2024.
Attorney General Platkin criticized the pause, stating, “Instead of supporting these infrastructure investments and paving the way toward a more sustainable future, President Trump is once again defying the will of Congress.” He called the funding freeze “lawless and reckless,” and said it would cause direct harm to New Jersey’s clean energy goals and transportation development.
The coalition of states filing the lawsuit includes Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, alongside New Jersey.
The lawsuit marks one of the first major legal challenges against the Trump administration’s handling of clean energy programs since returning to office. A ruling could have broad implications for state-level infrastructure projects and the future of federally backed EV initiatives.