Federal court ruling could reactivate funds for electric vehicle charging stations

A federal judge in Seattle ordered the Trump administration last week to release the remaining federal funds to build a nationwide system of electrical vehicle charging stations, but it isn’t clear how that might affect Pennsylvania.

That’s not only because the state wasn’t among 17 that filed suit for the release of the funds but also because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling later in the week that limits the scope of orders issued in one jurisdiction. In a case challenging the administration’s ability to deport the children of immigrants born in the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled Friday that federal district court judges can only issue injunctions that apply in their district, not across the country.

In February, the U.S. Department of Transportation, under orders from President Donald Trump, stopped distribution of the remaining funds from a $5 billion allocation known as the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which had been included in former President Joe Biden’s economic recovery plan. Biden’s plan called for a national network of charging stations every 50 miles along interstate highways and other high-traffic corridors to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles, reduce pollution and spur manufacturing of materials for electric vehicles and charging stations.

Trump, who doesn’t support the environmental and manufacturing goals of the program, paused distribution of money already awarded to states and ordered the department to review whether the program meets the policies of his administration. That review was supposed to have been completed by spring, but states haven’t received any additional communication about it.

In Pennsylvania, that means about $112 million of the $171.5 million allocated to the state for charging stations remains in limbo. The state has contracts for 90 active projects worth about $59 million, PennDOT spokesman Zachary Appleby said.

Once those 90 are open, he said, the state will have met the requirement of filling gaps in what were dubbed “alternative fuel corridors.”

The state last week announced six more charging stations have opened across the state, bringing the total number of NEVI stations to 17, second most in the country. Four of those sites are in the western part of the state: Penn Place Shopping Plaza in Monroeville; Sheetz on Route 224 near New Castle; Love’s Travel Shop along Interstate 80 in Brookville; and Giant Eagle near the Meadville interchange on Interstate 79.

In a news release, PennDOT said the state’s NEVI stations have provided 17,400 charging sessions, powering more than 2 million miles driven and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 950,000 pounds.

“The Shapiro administration is working quickly — getting hardworking tradesmen and women on the job and opening more EV charging stations than almost every other state — making Pennsylvania a national leader on NEVI,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “The rollout of EV charging stations in the commonwealth is moving along at speed, and we’re excited to make clean transportation more accessible for Pennsylvania travelers.”

The ruling Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Tana Lin in Seattle said the Trump administration had “overstepped their Constitutional and statutory authority” and had “attempted to override the express will of Congress” by freezing the grant money. She ordered the program to be reinstated beginning Wednesday.

But Friday’s ruling from the Supreme Court limiting the scope of district court rulings and an expected appeal from the Trump administration are likely to lead to more delays.

Appleby declined comment on the injunction ruling.

“We continue to support our active projects, and we are preparing for when we can obligate NEVI funds again,” Appleby said in an email. “We are currently evaluating the impact and next steps of the preliminary injunction.”