Federal Clean Energy Funding Cuts Unconstitutional, Court Rules

The Trump administration violated the Constitution’s equal protection requirements when it cancelled hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants for clean, affordable energy and transportation projects based on the states in which the grantees were located, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ruled on Tuesday, January 13.

The Department of Energy grants relied on congressionally approved funding and were designed to save American families money, reduce air pollution, and protect people’s health.

Our national partner, Plug In America, filed a lawsuit to keep a $5 million agreement with the DOE to reach five million consumers with practical, brand-neutral information about electric vehicles, charging and incentives. 

The Electric Vehicle Association has a contract with Plug In America to organize 65 test drive events across the country. The funding would enable our volunteer members to pay for educational materials, insurance, supplies, advertising, venue fees, and other event costs. 

“The Energy Department’s of the EV education grant less than halfway into the three-year project would force our volunteers to scale back or cancel 52 test drive events planned for 2026 and 2027 and the launch of additional volunteer chapters in areas with low EV adoption rates,” said EVA Executive Director Chris Celek. “The impact of today’s court decision on EVA is unclear. However, our members across the country look forward to helping people learn how EVs can help them save money on transportation and protect everyone’s health.”

The federal court concluded that the DOE’s early grant termination decisions violate the Fifth Amendment, which protects fundamental legal rights, including the right to equal protection under the law. The grant terminations were highly publicized on social media by members of the Trump administration, who canceled funding only in states that did not vote for the president.