The U.S. Department of Transportation has lifted its freeze on the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program after a federal judge ruled in June that the suspension likely violated the law. The decision follows lawsuits filed by 16 states and the District of Columbia and a preliminary injunction that ordered the department to resume funding. New guidance released on 11 August streamlines the program by scrapping a host of requirements introduced under the Biden administration, including mandates tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, environmental siting, emergency-evacuation plans and opportunities for minority- and women-owned small businesses. States now have 30 days to submit revised implementation plans. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the changes are designed to "slash red tape" and accelerate charger deployment, noting that about 84 percent of the program’s funds remained unobligated and only 384 federally backed charging ports had been installed as of April. While the department could still seek congressional approval to rescind unspent funds, for now the money is again available to the states under less stringent rules.