The Trump administration has halted or canceled over $29 billion in environmental and renewable energy grants established by the Biden administration, as noted in a recent report from the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC).
The NRDC created an interactive map titled “Stolen Futures” detailing the status of 910 grants issued under various programs from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Soon after taking office, Trump labeled these programs as wasteful and directed federal agencies to cancel many of them.
Key programs affected include the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund and the $7 billion Solar for All Program. According to Ella Mendonsa, a senior manager at NRDC, these cuts are a significant setback for communities hoping to improve their environmental conditions.
The NRDC’s analysis highlights a stark contrast: of the $37 billion intended for such programs, only $159 million has been awarded so far, with $9 billion already canceled and another $20 billion stuck in legal issues. This freeze affects many small community organizations that have never before pursued federal funding.
Cheryl Johnson, a community leader in Chicago, feels the impact deeply. Her organization, People for Community Recovery, was poised to receive $2.8 million for local projects. This funding would have meant jobs and revitalization for her neighborhood, but the program’s cancellation left her devastated. “To see that just wiped away, it was devastating,” Johnson shared.
On another front, a coalition of advocacy groups is currently appealing a court’s decision that dismissed their lawsuit against the termination of the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program. This program aimed to support natural disaster preparedness and air quality improvement, among other critical needs.
Critics of the cancellations argue that they reflect a misunderstanding of environmental justice, which aims to protect all communities, particularly those most affected by pollution and environmental harm. Charles Lee, a former senior official at the EPA, emphasized, “Environmental justice is about protecting everyone.”
The shifts in federal funding draw attention not just for their immediate effects but also for what they mean for the long-term strategies surrounding environmental justice. According to recent research, communities that are the most vulnerable can suffer significantly when access to resources is restricted. A 2022 study indicated that low-income neighborhoods still face disproportionate environmental risks.
As Trump’s administration continues to roll back these initiatives, many communities are left grappling with lost opportunities and the ongoing struggle for environmental equity.
