Attorney General Dan Rayfield has initiated legal action to prevent the termination of federal funding for electric vehicle infrastructure. The lawsuit challenges an executive order from President Trump that halted the disbursement of funds allocated by Congress under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This includes funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI).
Rayfield emphasized the urgency, stating, "Oregon’s own analysis shows we need five times more public EV chargers along our highways by 2030 just to keep up with the number of electric cars hitting the roads." He warned that any delay or reduction in federal funding could jeopardize Oregon's climate goals and leave drivers without necessary charging infrastructure.
The IIJA, passed in 2022, earmarked $5 billion for NEVI to enhance electric vehicle charging facilities across states. However, a January 20 executive order from President Trump instructed federal agencies to pause fund distribution related to both the IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act. Following this directive, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) informed states in February about revoking previously approved plans required for NEVI funding.
The lawsuit filed by Rayfield seeks judicial intervention against FHWA's actions and aims to restore electric vehicle infrastructure funding. Rayfield is supported by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and Vermont.