EPA partially unfreezes environmental funding after court ruling

A federal judge’s order has prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to lift a spending freeze on some programs under the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act, though major climate-related funds remain paused.

James Bikales and Zack Colman report for POLITICO.

In short:

• The EPA instructed officials to resume disbursements for certain programs, including State and Tribal Assistance Grants, brownfield cleanups and Superfund projects.
• The spending freeze, enacted under a Trump administration order, had prevented states and nonprofits from accessing funds for climate and energy programs.
• A judge’s ruling barred enforcement of the freeze, but significant funds, including the $7 billion Solar for All and $5 billion climate pollution reduction grant programs, remain unavailable.

Key quote:

"They are flagrantly disregarding the law. It is outrageous."

— Sam Ricketts, co-founder of S2 Strategies

Why this matters:

Federal funding plays a crucial role in states' ability to tackle pollution, remediate hazardous waste sites and transition to cleaner energy sources. From Superfund cleanups to grants for wind and solar projects, these dollars shape the speed and scale of environmental progress at the state level. But when disbursements stall — whether due to bureaucratic hurdles, shifting political priorities or legal challenges — efforts to build climate resilience and address long-standing environmental injustices can grind to a halt.

Related: Trump administration shifts EPA leadership to political appointees