EPA Plans to Cancel Nearly 800 Environmental Justice Grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is canceling nearly 800 grants awarded during the Biden administration, a figure nearly double previous estimates, with many grants aimed at environmental justice and climate resilience projects. This large-scale termination, disclosed in federal court filings, follows a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s freeze on grants funded by recent climate and infrastructure laws. The canceled grants, worth over $1.5 billion, were intended to support projects such as protecting vulnerable communities from wildfire smoke and coastal flooding, with a significant impact anticipated for minority and marginalized communities that historically face greater pollution risks. Critics, including former EPA officials and local leaders, warn that the move threatens public health and undermines progress in addressing environmental disparities. The EPA has already notified hundreds of grantees, with additional cancellations forthcoming, and controversy persists as a judge previously ordered the release of some frozen funds, calling the freeze 'arbitrary and capricious.' The agency's actions have sparked widespread concern about the future of environmental justice and climate adaptation initiatives in the U.S.