Christopher Schuler, christopher.schuler@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC – Last night, Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the EPA is illegally terminating $20 billion in Congressionally-mandated funding already disbursed to lower energy costs, revitalize local economies, and help address the climate crisis.
The funding, awarded in August of 2024 through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, was disbursed to National Clean Investment Fund and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator recipients to mobilize financing and private capital into clean energy projects to create jobs and lower energy costs.
The EPA is attempting to rescind their signed contracts with recipients and claw back the funding. Three recipients have already filed lawsuits regarding the funding freeze.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
“Each and every day, the Trump-Musk administration seems to find more brazen and illegal ways to harm American families, raise their energy costs, and endanger public health. The creation of this program was explicitly mandated by Congress, became law with the stroke of a President Biden’s pen, and the contracts with these recipients have been agreed to and signed. To go back on our word now would not only violate the law, but would also do a gross disservice to the American people and the communities who deserve every opportunity available to help rebuild their economies and save money for working families. Skipping out on the bill might be how Donald Trump has chosen to run his many bankrupt businesses, but that is no way to run a country.”
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.