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EPA moves to cancel nearly 800 climate justice grants issued under Biden

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to terminate 781 environmental justice grants aimed at protecting vulnerable communities, nearly doubling previous estimates and triggering legal battles over the move’s legality.

Maxine Joselow and Amudalat Ajasa report for The Washington Post.

In short:

The EPA disclosed in a recent court filing that it is canceling 781 environmental justice grants, all issued during the Biden administration, and has already notified about half of the recipients.
The decision affects projects meant to shield communities from wildfire smoke, coastal flooding, and indoor air pollution; critics argue the agency has not provided evidence of the legally required individualized grant reviews.
The Trump administration is also moving to dismantle the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and reassign more than 450 staff, deepening concerns among local officials and environmental groups.

Key quote:

“EPA’s attempts to terminate these grants not only violates their legal rights but abandons hundreds of communities across the country that were finally making progress reducing their energy costs and tackling polluted air and water.”

— Zealan Hoover, former senior adviser to the Biden EPA administrator Michael Regan

Why this matters:

Environmental justice grants fund essential services in some of the most vulnerable communities — places where people live next to industrial sites, breathe polluted air, or face rising floodwaters. Canceling these grants leaves schools, health centers, and local governments without resources they’d counted on to address long-standing environmental and public health threats. The disruption may delay or halt improvements in clean water access, air filtration, and energy efficiency at a time when these measures are becoming more urgent. Legal battles will determine if the terminations stick, but the policy shift already signals a broader retreat from commitments to environmental equity.

Dismantling of environmental justice protections at EPA leaves vulnerable communities reeling

www.washingtonpost.com

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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