House Oversight Chairman James Comer is ramping up his investigation into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Joe Biden, alleging the agency awarded a staggering $20 billion in grants to groups with little prior revenue and questionable ties to political allies.

Comer has issued requests to eight nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) for detailed information about the grants, including staff and salary records. These funds were part of two programs born from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which aimed to support projects for disadvantaged communities via nonprofits and other organizations. Whether these billions were used effectively—or ethically—is now a hot topic.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had moved to terminate these programs earlier this month, but that effort has hit a legal roadblock. Comer minced no words in his statement, calling the grants a "shady deal" designed to reward political allies while pushing a far-left environmental agenda.

According to Republicans, the $20 billion was conveniently "parked at an outside financial institution" to sidestep oversight. The funds were distributed across eight groups, including Climate United, Coalition for Green Capital, and Power Forward Communities, among others. These organizations were tasked with managing funds from the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund and the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator.

One particular group, Power Forward Communities, reportedly received a $2 billion grant despite reporting just $100 in revenue the previous year. This group, linked to former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, focuses on replacing household appliances in lower-income communities with environmentally friendly alternatives. Now, I don't know about you, but handing $2 billion to an organization with such a tiny revenue history feels like giving a toddler the keys to your Ferrari.

Zeldin has raised eyebrows over the grant agreement's terms, which required the funds to be distributed within 21 days while giving the organization 90 days to complete training titled "How to Develop a Budget." Zeldin remarked dryly that any entity needing budget training probably shouldn't be tasked with distributing billions of dollars so rapidly. Fair point.

To add fuel to the fire, the EPA reportedly made a $5 billion payment to a former director of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, raising concerns about conflicts of interest. The acting inspector general of the EPA is now investigating the program for financial mismanagement, oversight failures, and possible conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, the FBI has stepped in to probe possible criminal violations related to the grants. The Oversight Committee, which started its inquiry in February, has requested a briefing from Zeldin to shed more light on the matter.

Climate United, one of the recipients, has stated its commitment to transparency and looks forward to explaining how its work reduces energy costs and creates jobs. As for the other seven organizations, they’ve yet to respond to Comer's letters. Silence speaks volumes, doesn’t it?

Government Oversight News

Comer Probes NGOs Receiving $20B in Biden EPA Grants Amid Revenue Concerns