When Donald Trump was reelected, Jennifer Hadayia felt a wave of uncertainty. As the executive director of Air Alliance Houston, an organization that fights air pollution, she had previously battled the Trump administration in court. Now, with Lee Zeldin leading the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), things got worse. In March 2025, Zeldin celebrated what he called “the greatest day of deregulation.” This meant cutting many policies aimed at protecting the environment.
Hadayia was shocked. She saw the immediate fallout: Zeldin canceled environmental justice grants worth about $3 billion, affecting 350 groups—including cities and tribes—who relied on these funds. These grants aimed to help communities, especially low-income ones that often face higher exposure to pollutants from nearby factories.
Instead of going solo in a lawsuit, Air Alliance Houston decided to join a pioneering class action suit against the EPA. “It’s not just about us,” Hadayia shared. “This is about communities nationwide that need support.”
The Environmental and Climate Justice Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, was crucial for many local projects. These grants were awarded to groups working on air quality monitoring, tree planting, and improving drinking water systems. Unfortunately, when funding disappeared, many of these vital initiatives stood on shaky ground.
In 2024, Air Alliance Houston was awarded $3.1 million to expand a program called Air Mail. This initiative helps communities track pollution permits and stay informed about potential hazards. Hadayia spent months applying for this grant, filled with detailed forms and reviews, before receiving the unexpected news that her funding was cut.
Over a few months, Hadayia tried to check her funding status daily. Sometimes the funds would appear, only to vanish again. By May, she received an official termination letter, leaving her and her team in a bind. The EPA offered no explanations for the grants’ cancellation.
Environmental groups like Air Alliance Houston are not the only ones feeling the impact. Major organizations, like the Natural Resources Defense Council, have also had to sue the Trump administration. Since 2025, they’ve been involved in numerous cases to restore funding, finding that the courts are often their only option for recourse.
Jillian Blanchard, a vice president at Lawyers for Good Government, criticized the termination of grants, deeming it “unconstitutional” and detrimental to community health and environmental safety. This unprecedented class action could make it easier for smaller nonprofits like Air Alliance Houston to rally their resources against the EPA’s cuts.
Hadayia considers herself lucky that her team hasn’t had to lay off staff, but she recognizes that many organizations are struggling. “It’s a tough moment,” she said. “We want to keep fighting for our communities and finish the work we started.”
The wider ramifications of these decisions may still be unfolding, but as Hadayia noted, “It feels like a one-two punch to our mission.” The fight for environmental justice continues, with organizations banding together to pursue a common goal: ensuring that every community has access to a safe and healthy environment.
For more information on the impacts of environmental policies, you can check out CBS News and EarthJustice.
Source link
Donald Trump, class action lawsuit, Air Alliance, environmental organizations, Lee Zeldin, Jennifer Hadayia, Environmental justice grants, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, administration, Houston, environmental justice
