EPA freezes environmental justice grants as Zeldin defends budget cuts before Congress
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drew bipartisan criticism in a contentious Senate hearing over whether the agency defied federal law by halting billions in climate and environmental justice grants.
Matthew Daly reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the Trump administration’s decision to freeze nearly $3 billion in climate law grants intended for low-income and minority communities, as well as $20 billion in green bank financing for clean energy projects.
- Democrats accused Zeldin of illegally impounding funds mandated by Congress, while Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said the funding cuts were “indiscriminate” and harmed rural communities, including her constituents in Alaska.
- Zeldin said the agency acted based on new “policy priorities” under President Trump and suggested some grants might be reinstated if language about environmental justice and diversity is removed, in line with a Trump executive order.
Key quote:
“So you understand that when you impound funds, you’re violating the law?”
— Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley
Why this matters:
The EPA’s funding decisions affect how communities across the country — especially those already burdened by pollution — can protect themselves from environmental threats. The grants at issue were meant to reduce exposure to contaminated water, heatwaves, and floods, and to boost infrastructure like heat pumps and health clinics in underserved neighborhoods. Withholding these funds could stall or reverse efforts to clean up toxic sites, upgrade water systems, and prepare for climate-driven disasters. In addition, the dispute reflects a deeper clash over executive power and the role of science and equity in federal policy.
Related: EPA dismantles decades of work on environmental justice
