Twelve States, Groups Sue EPA to Restore $3 Billion Grants

Plaintiffs in federal court are demanding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency restore $3 billion in grant money for the Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program as a Sept. 30 deadline approaches. The lawsuit, filed by a coalition of 12 states and 12 environmental groups, seeks a court order that reverses the Trump administration’s decision to cut the program’s funding. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the motion was filed late Tuesday, giving the court a few days to rule before the funding window closes.

The program was created in 2021 under the Biden administration to deliver federal dollars to communities that face disproportionate climate and environmental burdens. The grants are earmarked for projects such as renewable‑energy installations, pollution‑remediation, and climate‑adaptation infrastructure in low‑income neighborhoods and communities of color. When President Trump signed an executive order in 2020 that effectively eliminated the block grant, the funding was withdrawn from the federal budget, leaving the program without any money for the 2023‑24 fiscal year. The plaintiffs argue that the cut violates the 2021 law that established the program and that the federal government has a duty to protect vulnerable populations from climate harm.

The court’s next step will be to decide whether to grant the plaintiffs’ request for an injunction that would compel the EPA to restore the $3 billion. If the court denies the motion, the block grant will remain unfunded for the upcoming year, and communities that were counting on the money for critical projects will face delays. A favorable ruling would not only reinstate the program but could also trigger a review of other climate‑justice initiatives that were curtailed during the previous administration. The deadline is crucial because the federal budget for the 2024‑25 fiscal year is set