So, like, Earth Day just happened, right? And the EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, was all like, “Yeah, we’re totally committed to clean air, land, and water for everyone.” But guess what? While he was saying that, the EPA was cutting off funds meant to bring clean drinking water to a Black community in Maryland, farmworkers in California, and tribal villages in Alaska. They were also supposed to tackle cancer-causing radon gas in Utah and monitor air pollution in Louisiana. All of these places got grants from programs focused on environmental justice, and those are the ones getting the budget cuts. Thanks, Trump.
An analysis by Inside Climate News found that the EPA is slashing at least 384 grants worth over $2.4 billion. These grants were meant to help communities facing pollution and other environmental issues. But Zeldin is all about saving that taxpayer money, right? So, he’s cutting funding for programs that help poor and minority communities. Way to go, EPA.
One of the programs on the chopping block is the environmental and climate justice block grant program approved by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. These grants were supposed to improve access to clean air, water, and land for communities dealing with pollution. But the Trump administration sees these programs as unfair favoritism. They even lumped them in with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that they want to get rid of. Zeldin’s EPA is holding back funding for these grants, even though a judge ordered them to release the money. Talk about playing hard to get.
The Trump administration is appealing the judge’s order, claiming that the environmental justice programs weren’t covered by the ruling. But the judge is not having it. She’s frustrated with the back and forth and the EPA’s resistance to funding these important programs. It’s like they don’t understand the whole point of these grants, you know?
Now, the grantees are taking their fight to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They’re arguing that the executive branch can’t just cancel the funding Congress approved for environmental justice programs. It’s illegal, according to Sacoby Wilson from the University of Maryland. He’s part of a group that had their grant terminated, and he thinks the EPA is missing the mark on what these grants were meant to achieve.
These programs are all about helping communities that are hit hardest by pollution and environmental issues. They’re essential for the EPA to do its job of protecting public health and the environment. But now, with the funding cuts, these communities are left hanging. It’s a real shame.
The EPA is canceling programs left and right, all in the name of saving money. They’re even cutting grants for clean water and air projects that Zeldin claims to care about. When asked about canceling a grant for a low-income community without access to clean water, the EPA just said it no longer aligns with their priorities. Wow, priorities, right?
It’s a mess out there, with grants being terminated and grantees left in the dark. Some have even received conflicting notices about their funding. It’s a real headache for these organizations that were counting on that money to make a difference in their communities.
In the end, it’s the communities that suffer the most. They were just starting to see some progress in improving their living standards, and now it’s all up in the air. Let’s hope they can find a way to keep fighting for the support they need.
