Democrats say EPA illegally canceled $1.7B in environmental justice grants

• Senate Democrats accuse the EPA of illegally canceling $1.7 billion in grants meant for environmental projects in minority communities affected by pollution. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin claims the cancellations will help save the American public money.
• The terminated grants included projects addressing childhood lead poisoning, air quality monitoring and water contamination, originally funded under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
• Senate Democrats argue this move violates court orders and EPA policies, demanding explanations from the agency, which stated it will respond but intends to proceed with the grant terminations.

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Senate Democrats are accusing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of illegally canceling $1.7 billion in grants. This funding had been allocated for projects aimed at improving the environment in minority communities affected by pollution.

Why did the EPA terminate these grants?

Earlier in March, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the termination of more than 400 grants that were part of what he described as environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Zeldin further stated that the programs were “unnecessary,” and their cancellation would result in cost savings for the American public.

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Among the canceled projects were efforts to address childhood lead poisoning, monitor air quality and reduce water contamination. The grants were initially awarded under the Biden administration as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.

Why are Senate Democrats opposing this?

All Democratic members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee sent a joint letter to Zeldin demanding information about the terminated grants. The senators also asked the EPA to outline its plans to address pollution “specifically in marginalized communities.”

The letter argues that many of the grants were funded through congressional appropriations with a statutory requirement that they be directed toward disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the senators claim the EPA’s actions may have violated both court orders and the agency’s own grant policies, which prohibit cancellations based on policy disagreements.

“The illegal termination of these EPA grants not only violates congressional appropriations law, contractual agreements and multiple court orders, but it also undermines essential programs,” said Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the committee.

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What happens next?

In a statement, the EPA confirmed receipt of the letter and said it would respond through the appropriate channels. The agency added the grant terminations will continue as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce what it calls “wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.”