The Trump administration has paused a grant program that would have allocated billions of dollars to states to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Colorado, which had secured $57 million for EV charging infrastructure, now faces uncertainty about its funding.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ office announced the state’s top spot in the nation for highest EV market share in December. However, the decision to freeze the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI) has been met with criticism from officials and experts.
Executive director of the Colorado Energy Office, Will Toor, described the decision as “destructive and harmful.” The NEVI program had funded 60 projects across the state, covering rural and urban areas, to provide fast charging options for EV owners.
Toor stated that at least 23 projects, or over 100 charging ports, are now on hold. He estimated that if the federal government honored previously signed contracts, $17 million of projects would receive funding.
Policy director at the Independent Institute, Jake Fogleman, disagrees with public funding for EV incentives. He believes private companies should lead efforts to address EVs and argues that using tax dollars to facilitate their purchase is unfair, especially considering EVs are more expensive than traditional cars.
Source: https://www.denver7.com/news/state-news/federal-freeze-on-national-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-program-puts-millions-of-colorado-dollars-in-limbo