U.S. Appeals Court Blocks EPA Freeze of $20 Billion Climate Grant Program
A divided U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, cannot terminate or freeze roughly $20 billion in grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund – a "green bank" created under President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The decision reinstated a preliminary injunction that bars the EPA from clawing back the funds, halting the agency’s effort to dismantle the program.
The grants, held at Citibank, were awarded to a coalition of nonprofit groups including the Climate United Fund and the Coalition for Green Capital. The court’s split ruling, with several judges dissenting, marks a significant setback to the Trump administration’s attempt to roll back Biden‑era climate policies. The EPA has said it is reviewing the judgment and may appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Entities: Climate United Fund · Coalition for Green Capital · Environmental Protection Agency · Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund · Joe Biden · Lee Zeldin · U.S. Court of Appeals · U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The decision reinstated a preliminary injunction that blocks the EPA's termination of the grants. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The funds were held at Citibank and awarded to nonprofit groups including Climate United Fund and Coalition for Green Capital. (multiple articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The EPA may appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. (multiple articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The court's decision was split, with several judges dissenting. (multiple articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the EPA cannot freeze $20 billion in climate grants. (multiple articles)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The ruling is a setback to the Trump administration's effort to dismantle the Biden-era climate program. (multiple articles)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The grants are part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund created by the Inflation Reduction Act. (multiple articles)
- [● 6 SOURCES] EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attempted to terminate and claw back the grants, alleging fraud, waste and abuse. (multiple articles)