The proposal comes after a judge ruled against the agency’s attempt to rescind federal funds for electric car charging projects.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) wants to raise the required amount of American components in electric vehicle charging stations that use federal funds from 55 percent to 100 percent, posing significant complications for the industry.
As David Shepardson explains in an article for Reuters, “The Biden administration in 2023 agreed to waive some ‘Buy America’ requirements for the $5 billion government-funded program to roll out more electric vehicle charging stations.” The new USDOT proposal would take immediate effect when finalized and would, according to the department, “protect Americans from foreign-made EV charger components that use technology with cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”
The move comes weeks after a judge ruled that the Trump administration can’t withhold federal funding for EV infrastructure. “The Sierra Club called the proposal another bad-faith attempt to kill the program by the Trump administration and could prevent funds from being used.”
FULL STORY: US proposes boosting 'Buy America' requirements for government-funded EV charging stations
USDOT Cancels Over $100 Million in Sustainable Transportation Funds for Colorado
The administration is pulling funding for what it calls “woke” and “redundant” clean energy projects including EV charging infrastructure.
USDOT Issues New Rules for EV Charging Grants After Judge Forces Administration to Unfreeze Funds
The Trump administration is reviving the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, revising its guidelines to eliminate consumer protections, environmental reviews, labor standards, and other provisions from the Biden-era program.
96% of federal EV charging funds from 2021-2022 are unspent
New Buy America requirements and other stipulations are slowing the process for accessing federal funds.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association