FHWA Pauses EV Charging Grants

What’s happened: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Feb. 6 issued guidance to state departments of transportation pausing future obligations from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This comes after President Trump’s Jan. 20 Executive Order (EO) targeting that and similar programs, as well as a Jan. 29 order from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy resetting department priorities.

Why it matters: The FHWA directive holds unobligated NEVI funds until the agency’s new leadership drafts, receives comments on and finalizes revised guidance for the program. To obligate additional NEVI funds, states will need to update their respective implementation plans based on the new guidance, which is likely months away.

The agency did make clear that “reimbursement of existing obligations will be allowed,” ensuring that ARTBA members can continue working on – and expect payment for – existing NEVI projects, though they should confer with project owners on this point.

An ARTBA analysis indicates $306 million in NEVI funds were obligated by states through Dec. 31, which is roughly 10 percent of the dollars available through the program’s initial three-plus fiscal years.

What’s next: Although President Trump’s Jan. 20 EO also targeted the IIJA’s $2.5 billion Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, the FHWA memo does not reference it. ARTBA expects the agency to address the status of this and other discretionary grant programs in coming weeks.