New EPA Director Cancels $50 Million Environmental Justice Grant Issued During the Biden Administration

Source: YouTube

Lee Zeldin, the newly appointed EPA Administrator under President Trump, recently launched an aggressive campaign to reverse Biden-era climate policies. Zeldin, a former congressman, was chosen for his commitment to cutting waste and realigning the agency’s priorities with Trump’s vision of energy dominance. In his first weeks, Zeldin highlighted massive spending abuses, including a $50 million environmental justice grant to Climate Justice Alliance, an organization criticized for its political advocacy. His team also uncovered $20 billion parked in an external financial institution, which turned out as funds allocated to the Biden administration’s controversial green bank initiative.

Zeldin’s approach aligns closely with President Trump’s directive to eliminate perceived misuse of federal resources. His administration works in tandem with the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, which aims to identify waste across federal agencies. Zeldin has promised zero tolerance for financial abuses, stating that his administration will pursue all legal avenues to recover misallocated taxpayer dollars.

The Controversy Behind Environmental Justice Grants

The $20 billion in environmental justice grants were a cornerstone of the Biden administration’s climate strategy, funded under the Inflation Reduction Act through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, also known as the green bank. The grants were designed to support projects benefiting disadvantaged communities, yet critics argue they often funneled money into politically motivated organizations. For example, Zeldin terminated a $50 million grant to the Climate Justice Alliance, citing their statements linking climate justice to unrelated political causes.

Additionally, Zeldin revealed a $160 million grant to a Canadian electric bus manufacturer that declared bankruptcy, leaving 55 U.S. school districts without promised buses. Zeldin described these cases as emblematic of the Biden administration’s reckless spending, accusing them of rushing to allocate funds without proper oversight.

Tying Biden’s Administration to Questionable Environment Justice Grants

The green bank initiative was heavily championed by former Vice President Kamala Harris, who announced the grants at a public event in North Carolina. The Biden administration defended the program as a mechanism to drive clean energy projects in underserved communities. However, a leaked video from former EPA advisor Brent Efron revealed that Biden officials hastened the grant process before Trump’s return to office, admitting they were ‘tossing gold bars off the Titanic’ to push out taxpayer dollars quickly.

Republican leaders have denounced the green bank as a ‘slush fund,’ citing concerns that the program favored political allies over genuine environmental needs. The new EPA team claims this pattern of rushed spending exemplifies the broader mismanagement under the Biden administration.

Zeldin’s Plans to Recall Grants and Prevent Future Waste

Zeldin has directed his legal team to begin the process of rescinding the green bank grants and recovering taxpayer funds. He cited his discovery of $20 billion in external accounts and vowed to return the money to federal control. Furthermore, the Department of Government Efficiency, under Elon Musk’s leadership, is collaborating with the EPA to audit past expenditures and prevent future abuses.

Zeldin’s crackdown is part of a wider Trump administration initiative, with similar audits occurring at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Critics argue that Zeldin’s efforts may face legal challenges from grant recipients, but his supporters believe these actions will restore fiscal accountability and curb politically motivated spending under the guise of environmental justice.

Do you support the EPA’s decision to revoke Biden-era environmental justice grants? Tell us what you think!

 Loading ...