EPA Halts $20 Billion Biden-Era Green Grants, Zeldin Declares

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially terminated $20 billion in grants designed for climate and clean-energy projects under the Biden administration. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the decision in a video posted to X on Tuesday, citing significant concerns about mismanagement and lack of oversight.

Zeldin revealed that the funds, sourced from U.S. taxpayers, had been "parked at an outside financial institution" to bypass government scrutiny. The money was being distributed through eight nonprofits, described by Zeldin as "politically connected, unqualified, and in some cases, brand-new organizations." The Department of Justice and FBI are now investigating the matter.

These grants were part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, informally known as the green bank, which Congress had approved under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The program aimed to address environmental inequities by funding nonprofits and community-focused initiatives. Specifically, $14 billion and $6 billion were allocated for projects targeting disadvantaged communities.

The nonprofit recipients of these grants included the Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv, and the Justice Climate Fund. Some of these organizations reportedly partnered with well-known groups like Rewiring America and Habitat for Humanity.

In his announcement, Zeldin highlighted what he called glaring red flags in the grant allocation process. For example, Power Forward Communities, a group linked to Democrat Stacey Abrams, was awarded $2 billion despite reporting only $100 in revenue the previous year. Additionally, Zeldin pointed out that the founding director of the EPA's program had allocated $5 billion to his former employer—a move he described as deeply problematic.

"These two examples are just the tip of the iceberg," Zeldin remarked. "I’m here to report back to the American people that, as of today, I have officially terminated these grant agreements entirely. Not only does the EPA have full authority to take this action, but frankly, we were left with no other option."

According to Zeldin, the termination is based on "substantial concerns regarding program integrity, objections to the award process, programmatic fraud, waste and abuse, and misalignment with the agency's priorities." He argued that these issues collectively undermined the program's original objectives and necessitated decisive action.

Zeldin also pledged to restore the EPA’s role as a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, aligning his actions with what he described as his "unwavering commitment" to former President Donald Trump, Congress, and the American people. "The only way to reduce waste, increase oversight, and meet the intent of the law as it was written is by terminating the grants," he stated firmly.

In his closing remarks, Zeldin assured the public that the EPA would regain its reputation for financial accountability. "The EPA will once again be an exceptional steward of your tax dollars. I will have it no other way," he declared.