Environmental justice organizations fear critical funding allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act could be rescinded as the incoming Trump administration signals plans to cut climate-focused grants.
Kristoffer Tigue, Dennis Pillion, Dylan Baddour and Marianne Lavelle report for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $266 million from the Inflation Reduction Act’s environmental justice grant fund, leaving $334 million unspent and vulnerable to potential rescission by the incoming administration.
- Critics argue the grant program benefits marginalized communities, but Republicans claim it supports partisan agendas and seek to block remaining funds.
- Some nonprofits may abandon federal funding due to uncertainty, focusing instead on self-sustainability.
Key quote:
“This grant money would only be used as intended by Congress, going towards things like air quality and asthma, water quality and lead, asbestos contamination.”
— KD Chavez, executive director, Climate Justice Alliance
Why this matters:
Environmental justice initiatives aim to address long-standing inequities in pollution exposure and health risks for marginalized communities. Losing funding could worsen these disparities and undermine efforts to address climate and public health crises.
Related: Op-ed: The common ground between labor and climate justice is the key to a livable future
