To get 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, Illinois hopes to receive $148 million in federal funding to help build a statewide network of public electric vehicle chargers. [emphasis, links added]
Now, that funding has been frozen and could be reduced or eliminated under a sweeping executive order signed by President Donald Trump on his first days in office.
Also pending is another federal plan to provide Illinois with millions of dollars for public electric vehicle chargers. …
Electric vehicles and their chargers appear to be the main targets of Trump's “Unlock America's Energy” executive order, but they are by no means the only clean energy projects in Illinois that may hit a bumpy road as the president takes bold steps to reverse the ambitious goals of his predecessor. Clean energy policy.
The executive order suspends funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the climate law signed by President Joe Biden. Includes incentives for solar and wind projects and a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for electric vehicle buyers.
The executive order also targets opportunities for states to adopt California-style vehicle emissions rules that exceed national standards, an approach currently being considered in Illinois.
The executive order sets a 90-day review period for clean energy projects funded under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021, after which agency heads will submit recommendations. …
Lerner said the president can bring policies he likes to Congress and demand changes, but the solar tax credit and wind energy production tax credit already have strong bipartisan support.
On the other hand, funding for Illinois' electric vehicle charging network under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Plan is subject to more direct control by the president.
“The government does have a degree of flexibility in this regard to decide whether to move forward with new spending,” Lerner said. “If (spending) is authorized and appropriated by Congress, the government must follow Congress's decision.”
Illinois expects to receive $148 million in funding for its charging network from the electric vehicle formula program, including In September, the state announced $25 million in grants for 37 projects, including 182 new charging ports.
Applications for the second round of financing are currently open, eApproximately $24 million in grants are expected to be awarded.
It's unclear how much funding may be affected under Trump's executive order, but Ubazewski said The state must spend its own money first and then be reimbursed through the EV formula program or the federal charging and fueling infrastructure grant program.
The reimbursement system means Funds stay in the hands of the federal government longer, which could be a disadvantage if funding is cut off.
“This, and the fact that these two programs are specifically mentioned in the executive order – Specifically — makes me a little nervous,” Urbaszewski said. …
Leslie McCain, executive director of the Illinois Solar Energy and Storage Association, said the executive order is not expected to have much of an impact on residential solar in Illinois.
The federal government currently offers tax credits of up to 30% of the cost of installing a solar roof.
“The executive order will not affect (the tax credit) as it is part of the federal tax code, but we will monitor further developments closely,” McCain said in a written statement.
Urbaszewski supports California-style clean car and clean truck rules in Illinois, saying the rules could help Illinois meet its electric vehicle goals if federal EV charger funding is cut.
Rules currently being considered by the Illinois Pollution Control Board would require all new passenger vehicles sold in Illinois to be zero-emission by 2035.
During his first term, Trump sought to repeal a waiver that allowed California to impose stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government.
“This will all end up in court, and It will take years to figure out whether the EPA under Trump actually has the authority to roll back the exemptions it has granted,” Urbazewski said.
At the same time, he'd like to see Illinois adopt California's standards, which he said would achieve the goal of the Electric Vehicle Formula Plan to expand Illinois' charging network.
Read the full article from the Chicago Tribune
