“essentially blocks the implementation of critical infrastructure” as the automotive industry shifts to EV production, she added. The waiver update would also affect the implementation of charging stations along America’s highways, funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure initiative. This $5 billion program, enacted in 2021, has been under attack by the Trump administration since the president took office. The administration abruptly and indefinitely froze the NEVI program last February, blocking the flow of federal funds to several states. A group, led by Washington, Colorado and California, subsequently sued the Transportation Department. A preliminary injunction lifted the freeze in June and the agency issued revised guidance for the program in August. Less than three weeks ago, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration violated federal law and ordered the Transportation Department to release obligated funds. Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, said in a statement that the new waiver update was just another attempt to kill NEVI and block the buildout of EV chargers. “Supporting American manufacturing is essential — but sabotaging a major infrastructure program and undermining U.S. competitiveness is not ‘America First,’” García said. The Federal Highway Administration will consider public comment on the waiver update over the next 30 days. made of materials produced in the U.S. Renewable energy experts say this is not feasible with today’s global supply chain. “Without corresponding domestic production capacity in place, this proposal would undermine the very manufacturing growth it seeks to promote,” Trisha Dellolacono, head of policy at Calstart, a Californiabased nonprofit focused on renewable transportation, said in a statement. The waiver’s existing 55% requirement reflects the reality that components like LCD displays, transformers, charging cables, circuit boards and other materials cannot be manufactured at scale in the U.S., Dellolacono said. Setting a 100% requirement 8 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 13, ISSUE 02
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