Trump Administration’s 100% “Buy America” EV Charging Requirement Is Anti-EV Policy
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration’s Department of Transportation announced a new proposal to repeal an existing waiver and dramatically raise the domestic content requirement for electric vehicle charging stations–from 55 to 100 percent–for federal-aid highway projects, including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI).
NEVI is a $5 billion federal initiative to build reliable, high-speed electric vehicle charging infrastructure along America’s highways enacted as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it has been the subject of continued attacks by the Trump administration aimed at delaying or undermining its implementation.
In response, Clean Transportation for All Director Katherine García released the following statement:
“Less than three weeks ago, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration blatantly violated the law when it abruptly and indefinitely froze the NEVI program last February. Today’s announcement is yet another bad-faith attempt to kill NEVI and block the buildout of essential infrastructure Congress funded for all Americans. It would stall EV charging deployment, push the United States further behind, and deny communities access to clean, affordable transportation options. Supporting American manufacturing is essential—but sabotaging a major infrastructure program and undermining U.S. competitiveness is not ‘America First.’”
BACKGROUND:
On January 23, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Tana Lin of the Western District of Washington entered final judgment in State of Washington v. U.S. Department of Transportation, ruling that the Trump administration violated federal law when it abruptly and indefinitely froze the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program on February 6, 2025.
The Court’s order permanently bars the U.S. Department of Transportation from withdrawing states’ NEVI funds, canceling or revising their implementation plans, or otherwise interfering with the program in violation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The case was originally brought by 17 states, led by Washington, Colorado, and California. The Sierra Club led a coalition of nonprofit organizations—including NRDC, Climate Solutions (represented by Earthjustice), Plug In America, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, West End Revitalization Association, and CleanAIRE NC (all represented by Southern Environmental Law Center) —to intervene in the case on behalf of their members harmed by the funding freeze nationwide. The public interest groups’ participation played a critical role in securing judicial relief across the country.
Earlier in the case, the court issued a preliminary order directing the federal government to release NEVI funds for certain plaintiff states. Following that ruling, the Trump administration restarted the NEVI program in August 2025, though litigation continued and ultimately resulted in a final, permanent order protecting the program nationwide.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
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