New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing the Trump administration over billions of dollars meant for electric vehicle charging projects.
James joined a coalition of 15 other attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania, accusing federal officials of unlawfully blocking congressionally approved funding.
According to the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have refused to release new funding under two electric vehicle programs created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The coalition says the freeze began in early 2025 and came without notice or explanation.
Those programs were designed to build a nationwide network of EV charging stations, reduce pollution, and create jobs. Congress authorized five years of funding, but states say federal agencies stopped approving new projects.
“This administration is attempting to override Congress by freezing billions of dollars it has no right to withhold,” James said. She argued that the move violates the Constitution’s separation of powers.
Impact in New York
In New York, the funding freeze has stalled a nearly $15 million grant awarded to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The money was meant to install about 1,000 public EV charging stations at state parks, municipal lots, and other public locations.
State officials say New York met all federal requirements and received approval to begin construction at initial sites. Despite that, federal officials have not released the funds.
James and the coalition say the freeze puts state and local projects in limbo and threatens long-term investments in clean transportation and infrastructure.
What the lawsuit seeks
The lawsuit argues that the administration’s actions amount to an illegal impoundment of funds approved by Congress. It also alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act.
The coalition is asking the court to declare the funding freeze unlawful and order federal agencies to immediately resume distributing the money as required by law.
Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia joined the lawsuit.
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