Attorney General Ellison sues to stop illegal termination of federal electric vehicle infrastructure funding
Joins coalition of 15 AGs in fighting Trump administration cuts to Congressionally approved funding; Minnesota stands to lose $50 million
May 7, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) – Attorney General Keith Ellison today joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from illegally terminating billions in congressionally approved funding for electric vehicle infrastructure. Unless the courts check the president’s overreach, Minnesota stands to lose over $50 million in electric vehicle infrastructure funding.
“It is astonishing that, instead of fighting climate change, President Trump is fighting our attempts to halt climate change,” said Attorney General Keith Ellison. “Earlier this week, I was forced to sue Trump for trying to halt the development of wind energy. Today, I am suing Trump to stop him from withholding investments in Minnesota’s electric vehicle infrastructure. Building out our charging infrastructure for EVs will reduce emissions, provide good jobs, and make EVs more practical to use in Minnesota. Electric vehicles are far better for our environment, and it is important that Minnesota develop the infrastructure to support them. Furthermore, Congress approved this electric vehicle infrastructure funding—it is the law. President Trump does not have the authority to flout the laws that have already been passed by withholding the funds that Congress appropriated.”
Specifically, in 2022, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. One provision of the IIJA appropriated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, or NEVI, to facilitate electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the states.
On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order that mandated all federal agencies to pause disbursement of funds related to the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act, including NEVI funding. Despite being tasked by Congress to fund NEVI, the Federal Highway Administration notified states in early February that the agency was revoking all previously approved plans to implement NEVI, a requirement for funding under IIJA.
This is important because transportation pollution is the largest source of carbon emissions in Minnesota. Carbon is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. As many folks in Minnesota can tell you from their own experience, the effects of climate change are very real for our cities, farms, industry, wildlife, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and sportspersons. The state is seeing more frequent extreme weather events, drought, smoke from forest fires and potential loss of several species due to warming rivers and lakes. Minnesotans have always been ready, willing, and able to do our part to try to prevent the worst climate change outcomes from happening.
The state has long identified electric vehicle EV adoption as one important way to reduce GHG emissions from transportation.
The Trump administration’s unlawful suspension of the NEVI funds puts the state’s ability to meet its climate goals at risk. It also puts Minnesota’s taxpayers on the hook to make up for the federal funds that the Trump administration is unlawfully and improperly withholding from us. That is why we need to fight.
The lawsuit filed today by Attorney General Ellison and 15 other attorneys general seeks a court order against FHWA’s unlawful actions, and a restoration of the electric vehicle infrastructure funding for the states.
Attorney General Ellison is joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and Vermont.
