Judge Dismisses Challenge by Nonprofits, Tribes and Local Governments Against EPA Program Termination

Judge Dismisses Challenge by Nonprofits, Tribes and Local Governments Against EPA Program Termination

Terminating these programs leaves communities more vulnerable to pollution and disasters

Contacts

Alexandria Trimble, [email protected]

Last week, a District Court judge dismissed a challenge brought by a coalition of nonprofits, Tribes and local governments against the Trump administration for unlawfully terminating the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) Grantprograms despite a Congressional directive to fund them.

Hana Vizcarra, senior attorney at Earthjustice, issued the following statement in response:

"We are disappointed in the court's ruling, but we will continue to fight for communities across the country that relied on this EPA program to reduce pollution, increase climate resilience and build capacity to tackle environmental harms. The legal team is considering next steps."

Background

The Environmental and Climate Justice Program was created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) under Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 138 to award $3 billion in grants to community-based non-profits, Tribes, local governments, and higher education institutions in every state to tackle the climate crisis and environmental harms at the local level.

Earthjustice, Southern Environmental Law Center, Public Rights Project, and Lawyers for Good Government filed the challenge on behalf of ECJ grant recipients, along with a preliminary injunction and class action certification, to seek the nationwide restoration of the program.

The grant-funded initiatives under the ECJP in communities across the country include air quality monitoring, community pollution notification systems, tree planting in urban heat zones, lead pipes replacement in community drinking water systems, resilience projects to strengthen communities against more frequent and intensifying extreme weather events, and more.

Additional Resources

• Decision to Dismiss: Appalachian Voices v EPA

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.