Trump Administration’s 100% “Purchase America” EV Charging Requirement Is Anti-EV Coverage

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Immediately, the Trump administration’s Division of Transportation introduced a brand new proposal to repeal an present waiver and dramatically increase the home content material requirement for electrical car charging stations–from 55 to one hundred pc–for federal-aid freeway tasks, together with the Nationwide Electrical Car Infrastructure Formulation Program (NEVI).

NEVI is a $5 billion federal initiative to construct dependable, high-speed electrical car charging infrastructure alongside America’s highways enacted as a part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation, and it has been the topic of continued assaults by the Trump administration geared toward delaying or undermining its implementation.

In response, Clear Transportation for All Director Katherine García launched the next assertion:

“Lower than three weeks in the past, a federal decide dominated that the Trump administration blatantly violated the legislation when it abruptly and indefinitely froze the NEVI program final February. Immediately’s announcement is yet one more bad-faith try and kill NEVI and block the buildout of important infrastructure Congress funded for all People. It might stall EV charging deployment, push the US additional behind, and deny communities entry to wash, reasonably priced transportation choices. Supporting American manufacturing is crucial—however sabotaging a serious infrastructure program and undermining U.S. competitiveness is just not ‘America First.’”

BACKGROUND:

On January 23, 2026, U.S. District Courtroom Choose Tana Lin of the Western District of Washington entered ultimate judgment in State of Washington v. U.S. Division of Transportationruling that the Trump administration violated federal legislation when it abruptly and indefinitely froze the Nationwide Electrical Car Infrastructure (NEVI) program on February 6, 2025.

The Courtroom’s order completely bars the U.S. Division of Transportation from withdrawing states’ NEVI funds, canceling or revising their implementation plans, or in any other case interfering with this system in violation of the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act.

The case was initially introduced by 17 states, led by Washington, Colorado, and California. The Sierra Membership led a coalition of nonprofit organizations—together with NRDC, Local weather Options (represented by Earthjustice), Plug In America, Southern Alliance for Clear Vitality, West Finish Revitalization Affiliation, and CleanAIRE NC (all represented by Southern Environmental Regulation Heart) —to intervene within the case on behalf of their members harmed by the funding freeze nationwide. The general public curiosity teams’ participation performed a important position in securing judicial reduction throughout the nation.

Earlier within the case, the court docket issued a preliminary order directing the federal authorities to launch NEVI funds for sure plaintiff states. Following that ruling, the Trump administration restarted the NEVI program in August 2025, although litigation continued and finally resulted in a ultimate, everlasting order defending this system nationwide.

In regards to the Sierra Membership

The Sierra Membership is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental group, with hundreds of thousands of members and supporters. Along with defending each individual’s proper to get outdoor and entry the therapeutic energy of nature, the Sierra Membership works to advertise clear vitality, safeguard the well being of our communities, shield wildlife, and protect our remaining wild locations by way of grassroots activism, public training, lobbying, and authorized motion. For extra data, go to www.sierraclub.org.