The Trump administration decision to pause funding for electric vehicle charging stations will have a ripple effect on clean energy projects across Texas.
The Federal Highway Administration it's reviewing the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, effectively halting $3 billion.
Lori Clark at the North Central Texas Council of Governments said the pause will impact as many as 60 EV charging projects planned across the state. She added there鈥檚 uncertainty over the environmental implications.
鈥淚 don't know that there's really a clear answer on how much it's going to delay overall improvement in air quality,鈥� Clark said.
Though some projects are delayed, Clark said another 29 have already gone through the milestones necessary for construction. EV drivers can expect to see more charging stations on the highways between North Texas and the state鈥檚 major cities.
鈥淧eople who are looking to road trip, you're going to start seeing those charging stations for free fairly soon in multiple directions,鈥� Clark said.
Clark leads the region鈥檚 clean energy initiatives as part of the , which works to reduce transportation energy use and improve air quality. She said while there will be delays, the Trump administration鈥檚 decision won鈥檛 impact the long-term expansion of clean energy infrastructure.
鈥淲hile this is a very large program, it is just a fraction, really, of what's happening on the ground in terms of charging infrastructure,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淸EV] charging is an amenity that a lot of developers see adds value to residents or customers.鈥�
Cities across North Texas have been hurrying in recent years to build out EV infrastructure to keep up with growing demand. Almost 95,000 people drive EV鈥檚 in North Texas, according to state registration data. Asked what the halt on funding means, the city of Dallas declined to comment. A Denton spokesperson said the city got its EV funding from from local money and some state, and projects won't be affected by the federal pause.
However, the pause could have an impact on the included in the Biden administration鈥檚 Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
鈥淭hose tax credits maybe have a question mark on them,鈥� Clark said.
The pause also puts into question federal money for Trump adviser Elon Musk鈥檚 company Tesla, which is based in Austin. As reported by NPR, Tesla .
Pablo Arauz Pe帽a is 四虎影院鈥檚 growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org. You can follow him on X .
四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider . Thank you.
