Appeals Court Says E.P.A. Cannot Block Billions in Climate Grants
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- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in a split decision that upheld an earlier injunction blocking the EPA from terminating $20 billion in climate grants that have been frozen since early in Trump's second term.
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attempted to claw back the funding last February, citing vulnerability to waste, fraud and abuse, and pointing to a Project Veritas hidden-camera video in which a former EPA staffer likened Biden-era spending to throwing "gold bars" off the Titanic.
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the Biden-era "green bank" initiative that supports low-cost loans and investments for renewable energy projects, would be effectively reinstated if the EPA does not appeal to the Supreme Court within seven days.
- EPA spokeswoman Brigit Hirsch said the agency is reviewing the judgment and considering next steps, including appealing to the high court and asking that the funds remain frozen in the meantime.
- Michael Gerrard, director of Columbia's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, called the ruling "screamingly good news for the plaintiffs" but warned the legal process could continue to drag on for a long time.
Why it matters: Eight nonprofit groups regain access to $20 billion in Biden-era climate grants for renewable energy projects, pending the EPA's seven-day window to appeal to the Supreme Court. Columbia's Michael Gerrard called it "screamingly good news" for recipients but warned the legal process is likely to drag on regardless of outcome.
