By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s suspension of federal funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure programs approved by Congress.
The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Department of Transportation unlawfully halted funding for two bipartisan programs created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator Program.
State officials say the funding pause began in spring 2025 without explanation or notice.
In New Jersey, the impact includes $10 million awarded to the Department of Environmental Protection for EV chargers near multi-unit housing and transit hubs, and nearly $6 million awarded to the Department of Transportation to modernize charging infrastructure.
Those projects have stalled due to the funding freeze.
The complaint argues that withholding the funds violates the constitutional separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Act, as federal agencies are required to carry out laws passed by Congress.
The coalition is asking the court to declare the actions unlawful and permanently block the administration from withholding the funds.
The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, and Washington, with New Jersey joined by multiple states and the District of Columbia.