U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy yesterday issued the following statement in response to the 16 states and the District of Columbia attempting to block the U.S. Department of Transportation’s update of the Biden-Buttigieg National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, according to a press release from the DOT.
NEVI was established to fund states’ deployment of EV charging infrastructure, but the program’s structure has made it nearly impossible to utilize, the release goes on to say. In February, Secretary Duffy and the Federal Highway Administration launched a review of the program’s guidance.
“The Biden-Buttigieg Administration failed miserably to deliver EV chargers despite their promises. Congress gave the Secretary the authority to issue program guidance and ensure money is being spent efficiently, and that’s exactly what we are doing. It’s rich that California has joined this lawsuit, given that California has spent billions of taxpayer dollars on a boondoggle rail project that has yet to lay a single piece of track,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
Reminder:
Three and a half years since the NEVI Formula Program was enacted:
- Approximately 84% of NEVI Formula Program funds remain unobligated.
- 75% of the states that filed a lawsuit to block DOT’s review have failed to spend even a third of the funds they’ve received.
- Nearly a quarter of states participating in the lawsuit have spent less than 10% of their funds.
- California and Washington have used just 1% of their allocation.