Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

IIJA · NEVI · grid · ports

The infrastructure law appropriated its money up front. Its EV programs were frozen, paused and released by court order instead.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law electrification-related funding: power grid about $65 billion, airports $25 billion, ports and waterways $17 billion, battery materials and recycling about $7 billion, NEVI charging $5 billion, Clean School Bus $5 billion, CFI charging grants $2.5 billion, low-emission ferries $2.5 billion. The law's surface transportation authorization expired September 30, 2026, with a continuing resolution to December 11, 2026. BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW: ELECTRIFICATION-RELATED FUNDING Power grid ~$65B Airports $25B Ports and waterways $17B Battery materials ~$7B NEVI charging $5B Clean School Bus $5B CFI charging grants $2.5B Low-emission ferries $2.5B Authorization expired Sep 30, 2026
Package
$1.2T
NEVI
$5B
Grid
~$65B
Authorization
Expired
Hub
Policy

Finding

The infrastructure law's money was appropriated; its EV programs are where the fights landed

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) of November 2021 was a $1.2 trillion package with five years of appropriations, so unlike IRA tax credits its money did not need a new vote each year. That made its EV programs the target of administrative action instead: NEVI charging funds were frozen and then released by court order, CFI grants were paused, and Clean School Bus was put on hold for a redesign.

The grid, port and airport money has moved more steadily, because it is less tied to vehicles. Grid funding through DOE's Grid Deployment Office supports transmission and resilience upgrades, although DOE cancelled some awards in 2025; battery materials and recycling grants funded processing plants, several of them since renegotiated. The surface transportation authorization expired on September 30, 2026, and the successor bill will decide whether dedicated EV charging money continues at all.

Programs

Electrification programs in the infrastructure law

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law electrification programs
ProgramFundingWhat it pays forStatus
Power grid~$65BTransmission, grid resilience, Grid Deployment OfficePartly awarded; some awards cancelled
Airports$25BTerminals, airport infrastructure, emissionsActive
Ports and waterways$17BPort infrastructureActive
Battery materials~$7BProcessing, manufacturing, recycling grantsSome awards cancelled or renegotiated
NEVI charging$5BFormula funds to states for corridor chargingActive under court order
Clean School Bus$5BZero- and low-emission school busesPaused, being redesigned
CFI charging grants$2.5BCommunity and corridor chargingPaused, in litigation
Low-emission ferries$2.5BFerry pilot and rural ferriesActive

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA, 2021) programs related to electrification
Sources
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58); CRS (June 2026); DOE Grid Deployment Office; COMTO on the surface transportation extension
Updated
October 2026