The EPA chief wants to recover $20 billion in climate funding
He said that the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to terminate contracts signed by the previous administration for the distribution of $20 billion in grant funds to fund clean energy projects and transportation in disadvantaged areas.
In a message on X, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that he would ask the Inspector-General, Congress, and Justice Departments to work together with the agency in order to terminate the contracts with eight regional organizations who were named as financial agents, and rescind the grant money that was awarded under the Biden EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
The Biden EPA announced in April that the organization would be responsible for awarding grants to communities and groups to fund projects such as home energy retrofitting or off-grid, renewable energy sources.
In order to achieve the goal of reducing or avoiding up to 40 millions metric tons of annual climate pollution, projects were to be launched over the next 7 years as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The EPA, under the Trump administration has attempted to freeze funding for climate change and environmental injustice, but has faced legal challenges.
Trump's orders across the government have restricted at least tens billions of dollars in funding for clean energy, conservation initiatives, and transportation projects throughout the country. This is even in violation of a court order which required that the funding be lifted.
Democratic lawmakers and groups suing administration claim that dismantling funding will require Congressional support.
Patty Murray, Washington State Democratic senator said during a press conference that Donald Trump could come to Congress to get the votes needed to eliminate funding for energy jobs that pay well.
Zeldin, in a video posted on X, criticized the disbursement of money under the former president Joe Biden.
He said that the purpose of this was to use all the money quickly and with less oversight.
Eight funding organizations declined comment, awaiting more information about the EPA actions.
Zeldin announced on Thursday that a $50-million grant had been canceled for a group named the Climate Justice Alliance. He cited the pro-Palestinian messages displayed on the website.
The CJA announced on Wednesday that it would end its $50 million UNITE_EJ program grantmaking because it was unable to access funding from the Biden Environmental Protection Agency, which had been committed to the group and not yet paid out. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis, Margueritachoy, and Valerie Volcovici)
(source: Reuters)
