SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the first Filipino American to hold the state’s top law enforcement position, praised a federal judge’s ruling this week, June 27, 2025, that ordered the Biden-era electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure funds to be released after months of being frozen under the Trump administration.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Tana Lin in Washington state issued a preliminary injunction requiring the U.S. Department of Transportation to reinstate federal EV charger funding to 14 states. The decision follows lawsuits filed by a coalition of states after the Trump administration paused disbursement of funds earlier this year for further policy review.
Judge Lin ruled that the administration exceeded its authority in suspending the funds, which had already been approved by Congress through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
In a public statement, Bonta said: “This ruling affirms what we’ve argued all along—the administration cannot dismiss programs illegally just to let Big Oil continue basking in record profits.” Bonta added that the court’s decision is “a win for the rule of law and the climate.”
The injunction is set to take effect on July 2, unless the administration appeals the ruling. It covers 14 of the 17 states and jurisdictions that filed suit. The court excluded Washington, D.C., Minnesota, and Vermont from relief, stating those entities had not demonstrated irreparable harm.
The funds in question are part of the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which aims to expand charging stations along U.S. highways. According to court documents and reporting by the Associated Press, states like New York had approximately $120 million in pending EV infrastructure projects delayed due to the freeze.
The suspension of funds in February 2025 affected contracts, permitting processes, and deployment schedules in several states, including California, Arizona, Illinois, and New York. State officials argued in court filings that the delays disrupted public-private partnerships and interfered with existing procurement timelines.
As of June 27, the Trump administration has not filed an appeal. If no legal stay is granted, the Department of Transportation will be required to resume funding disbursement starting next week.
Bonta joined the multi-state legal challenge earlier this year, aligning with attorneys general from other states who argued that halting the funding violated congressional intent.
Rob Bonta has consistently advocated for environmental protection and legal accountability in his role as California’s attorney general. The injunction marks a legal victory for his office and other states seeking to continue EV infrastructure development without further federal delays.
