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.

Related:

Opinion: America, this is what environmental justice is — and what we all stand to lose

Dismantling of environmental justice protections at EPA leaves vulnerable communities reeling