DATE: December 17, 2025
CONTACT: Emily Samsel, emily@cleanpowerinformation.com

Clean Power Information Project Reacts to Court Decision to Take GGRF En Banc Appeal

Washington, D.C. – Today, the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to hear a petition from Climate United and other GGRF awardees that argued that the three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court erred in its ruling by dismissing their claims earlier this summer.

Andrea Purse, Spokesperson for the Clean Power Information Project released the following statement:

“As energy bills continue to spike across the country, the administration is causing more pain by tying up needed funds in court that would help lower costs and create jobs. The court is right to take up this case and reconsider the sloppy panel decision, which was completely eviscerated in the dissent, and relied more on debunked administration talking points than evidence or the law. These are duly awarded funds from Congress and should go to communities across the country who are struggling to make ends meet, not be held up by a political agenda to kill clean, affordable energy.”

Judge Rao, one of the Trump-appointed judges who sat on the three-judge panel, echoed Trump’s talking points throughout his decision, falling for dubious EPA arguments that even the EPA walked away from after they were picked apart in court. Some examples of his embracing of the Trump administration’s arguments throughout her decision:

Echoed conservative claims that grants had “unusual structure” in using a financial agent, despite the Treasury having used financial agents previously, including to administer federal aid during the Trump administration:

• P.4: “Each grant was memorialized in an agreement between the nonprofit and EPA. The grant agreements have an unusual structure. Typically, grant funds are held by the U.S. Treasury and disbursed incrementally as grantees use the funds for program purposes. EPA structured these grants with a middleman that would hold the funds as a “financial agent” of the United States. According to EPA, this was the first time the federal government used a financial agent, as opposed to Treasury, to carry out this kind of grant program.”

Cited the “gold bars” video, which has been discredited, taking criticism of the program at face value despite obvious editing and subsequent clarification that the quote was not even about the GGRF program:

• P. 5: “The sheer scale of the grant program and the method of allocating billions of dollars drew public attention and criticism. The record includes a widely publicized video in which an EPA employee was recorded describing how ‘until recently’ his role was to make sure proper ‘processes are in place to … prevent fraud and to prevent abuse,’ but after the election of President Donald Trump, EPA was ‘just trying to get the money out as fast as possible before they come in and … stop it all.’ J.A. 705 n.1. The employee compared the situation to ‘throwing gold bars off the Titanic.’”

Cited the FBI investigation as above board, but did not mention the well-documented controversy around it, including a senior prosecutor who resigned rather than push such a bogus, political case:

• P. 6: “After the change in administration, EPA reviewed the grants and raised concerns about conflicts of interest during the award process, the political connections of the chosen grantees, lack of government oversight and control over tens of billions of dollars, and last-minute amendments to the grant agreements and ACAs. 2 In February 2025, the FBI recommended to Citibank that it “place an administrative freeze on the account(s) associated with” the grantees’ ACAs. As the government’s financial agent, Citibank complied and stopped disbursing funds to the grantees. EPA also referred the matter to the Office of Inspector General for investigation. Shortly thereafter, EPA terminated the grant agreements. The grantees sued, seeking to enjoin the terminations as unconstitutional, unlawful, and arbitrary and capricious.”

Cited EPA’s claim that Jahi Wise failed to recuse himself, despite clear documentation to the contrary. Judge Pillard cites this in her rebuttal:

• Footnote #2, p. 6: “2 For example, the Acting Deputy Administrator averred in a letter to the EPA Inspector General that “the former director of the [Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund], personally oversaw a $5 billion grant to his previous employer, the Coalition for Green Capital – without recusing himself.” J.A. 670.”

Claimed the EPA raised concerns after reviewing the grants, when in fact Zeldin’s announcement that he planned to “instantly terminate” the grants came before any investigation, and Trump had already announced intentions to freeze spending in January:

• P. 6: “After the change in administration, EPA reviewed the grants and raised concerns about conflicts of interest during the award process, the political connections of the chosen grantees, lack of government oversight and control over tens of billions of dollars, and last-minute amendments to the grant agreements and ACAs. In February 2025, the FBI recommended to Citibank that it “place an administrative freeze on the account(s) associated with” the grantees’ ACAs. As the government’s financial agent, Citibank complied and stopped disbursing funds to the grantees. EPA also referred the matter to the Office of Inspector General for investigation. Shortly thereafter, EPA terminated the grant agreements.”

Claimed there was “no evidence the agency sought to dismantle the programs without congressional approval” despite public comments indicating otherwise. Section 7 of Trump’s EO freezing Inflation Reduction Act grants was titled “Terminating The Green New Deal,” and administration officials had publicly discussed their intentions to repeal the IRA.

• P.25-26: “The court found that “EPA seeks to dismantle these grant programs in their entirety as a policy matter.” Climate United Fund, 778 F. Supp. 3d at 115. This factual determination was not supported by any evidence in the record and rested only on the district court’s assertion that EPA ‘suspended all eight grants.’ Id. at 116. But the suspension of the grants standing alone cannot demonstrate EPA was shutting down the statutory programs without congressional approval. Indeed, EPA repeatedly stated that it planned to recommit the grant money with greater oversight and accountability, contradicting the district court’s shutdown finding. Absent any clear evidence to the contrary, EPA’s representations were entitled to a presumption of regularity. See Am. Fed’n of Gov’t Emps., AFL-CIO v. Reagan, 870 F.2d 723, 727 (D.C. Cir. 1989)”
• “Rather than credit EPA’s statements or explain why the presumption of regularity was overcome, the district court simply declared EPA was shutting down the programs. The court disregarded the government’s interest in prudent management of the grant programs and the government’s representations that it planned to properly supervise, rather than abandon, the grantmaking process.12 The district court’s conclusory factual finding of program dismantlement was clearly erroneous. See United States v. Microsoft Corp., 253 F.3d 34, 118 (D.C. Cir. 2001) (explaining that even on clear error review the court is not required to “accept findings that are utterly deficient”). Because EPA issued the grants in accordance with the Inflation Reduction Act, and there is no evidence the agency sought to dismantle the programs without congressional approval, In re Aiken County cannot support the grantees’ claims.”

Echoed EPA claims that it identified “lack of oversight,” political connections, and concerns about the award process, despite the EPA having visibility into transaction-level data and there being extensive details about the lengthy application process and oversight of the funds on the EPA website (in her dissent, Judge Pillard offers thorough rebuttals of these claims):

• P. 6: “After the change in administration, EPA reviewed the grants and raised concerns about conflicts of interest during the award process, the political connections of the chosen grantees, lack of government oversight and control over tens of billions of dollars, and last-minute amendments to the grant agreements and ACAs.”
• P. 26, 28: “By contrast, EPA entered the grant agreements before the appropriation expired in September 2024, in compliance with any requirement in the Inflation Reduction Act to spend funds. EPA subsequently terminated the agreements because of its concerns about lack of oversight and potential conflicts of interest during the award process.” …So while their “existence relies on grant money” as the district court held, that is because these entities were established to benefit from government largesse…EPA terminated the grants because of concerns about the integrity of the grantmaking process.”

Claimed that the injunction “harms” public interest because the government wants to “properly and prudently” manage billions in funding, despite there being existing controls for government oversight of the funding:

• P.28-29: “The balance of the equities and the public interest factors similarly favor the government. The injunction harms the government and the public interest by preventing the Executive Branch from properly and prudently managing billions of dollars in public funds. The grantees have an interest in continued access to government funding. But the government and the public have a stronger interest in protecting the public fisc and eliminating the appearance of impropriety around these grant programs.”

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 7, 2025

Trump’s Termination of Solar for All Devastates Low-Income Families Nationwide

EPA’s Cancellation of $7 Billion Program Leaves Families In All 50 States Facing Skyrocketing Energy Bills, Jobs Loses

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration’s termination of the EPA’s Solar for All program is delivering a crushing blow to low-income families in every corner of America, stripping away nearly $7 billion in congressionally-appropriated funding that would have lowered energy bills by at least $400 a year for nearly one million households and created over 200,000 good-paying jobs.

That’s why state officials, energy advocates, and community leaders across the country have not only resoundingly condemned the decision, but are also actively suing the Trump administration to defend low-income families who were counting on relief now face an uncertain future with no federal support.

With millions of Americans already facing skyrocketing electricity bills, here’s a state-by-state breakdown showing how Trump’s gutting of this program affects communities from Alaska to Florida, from tribal lands to major cities:

TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Grist: Tribal nations scramble to save clean energy projects as federal support vanishes

Inside Climate News: Tribal Solar Projects Meet Different Fates in Wyoming After Trump Administration Kills Funding

Mother Jones: Tribal Nations Scramble to Save Clean Energy Projects

Tribal Business News: EPA terminates $7B solar program, cutting $500M in tribal energy funding

The Circle: Tribal nations scramble to save clean energy projects as federal support vanishes

ALABAMA

Alabama Political Reporter: Future uncertain for solar power projects in Alabama as Trump EPA cancels grants

ALASKA

Alaska Daily News: EPA axes program that would have injected $125 million in Alaska for small-scale solar projects

Anchorage Daily News: EPA cancels grants totaling $280 million for Alaska villages, communities

ARIZONA

Arizona Mirror: Trump’s clean energy reversal puts Arizona solar projects worth $1.6B at risk

Hoodline: Arizona Leaders Urge EPA to Release “Solar for All” Funds, Citing State’s Energy Future and Job Creation

Phoenix Public Radio (KJZZ): Trump’s EPA cut a $25M plan to bring solar power to Hopi homes. The tribe isn’t giving up hope.

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Times: Trump EPA moves to cancel solar funding for low-income Arkansans

CALIFORNIA

CBS News: California regulators, solar energy advocates denounce EPA decision to end Solar for All program

LAist: What the Trump administration’s cut to a solar program means for Southern California

San Francisco Chronicle: Trump administration claws back $250M in California solar funding, igniting likely legal battle

The Daily Climate: California stalls on community solar as Trump moves to pull federal funds

The Los Angeles Times: EPA eliminates $7-billion rooftop solar grant program

COLORADO

The Colorado Sun: Colorado could lose $156 million federal solar grant under EPA changes

KColorado Public Radio (UNC): Trump EPA cuts massive Solar For All program that had $156 million for clean energy in Colorado

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Public Radio: EPA cuts $62M in Connecticut solar energy grants

Connecticut Public Radio: Solar energy company lays off almost all CT workers as Trump administration cancels tax credits

CT Insider: Connecticut’s low-income solar panel program ends after Trump budget cuts

CT Mirror: CT stands to lose millions if EPA kills ‘Solar for All’ program

FOX Hartford (WTIC): Top Connecticut officials condemn President Trump’s move to terminate ‘Solar for All’ program

FLORIDA

Axios Tampa Bay: Trump pulls $156 million for solar panels in Florida

Tampa Bay Times: Trump administration revokes $156M grant to help Floridians afford solar panels

 

GEORGIA

Georgia Public Radio (WABE): Trump administration cancels Georgia free solar program

The Current: Solar on a Savannah church highlights losses from federal cutbacks

The Ledger-Enquirer: EPA cancels low-income Solar For All, removing ‘energy democracy’ in GA, critics say

 

HAWAIʻI

Hawaiʻi Public Radio: EPA plans to claw back $62M awarded to Hawaiʻi for solar projects

Hawaiʻi Public Radio: Hawaiʻi works to restore solar program for low-income households cut by Trump

Honolulu Star-Advertiser: End of EPA solar program to affect thousands in Hawaii

 

IDAHO

Boise State Public Radio: Canceled federal solar project could have reduced Idaho energy costs

Public News Service: Idaho Loses $56 Million in ‘Solar for All’ Grants

 

ILLINOIS

Chicago Sun Times: Trump pulls plug on expanding solar program that cuts Illinois electric bills

The Center Square: Senator says Trump’s EPA will cut $100M Solar Funding for Illinois

 

INDIANA

Indianapolis Public Radio (WFYI): EPA cuts funding for lower-income solar program, including more than $117 million for Indiana

Indianapolis Recorder: EPA repeals Solar for All program, Indiana loses $117M in clean energy funding

Indianapolis Star: Indiana loses $130 million as EPA cancels low-income solar program

Inside Indiana Business: Indiana stood to get $130M for low-income solar projects. The EPA canceled the program

The Post-Tribune: Gary loses $33 million for solar projects as feds eliminate program

WISH: Indiana loses $117 million as EPA cancels solar program funding

KENTUCKY

Kentucky Public Media (WUKY): Federal solar funding canceled as Kentuckians feel burden of summer energy costs

LOUISIANA

Invest in Louisiana: Federal megabill threatens Louisiana’s clean energy future

Invest in Louisiana: Solar for none of y’all

Louisiana Illuminator: ‘Solar for Y’all’ faces hazy future in Louisiana

The New Orleans Advocate: Louisiana losing $156 million for solar energy as Trump administration cuts program

MAINE

Bangor Daily News: Maine will lose $62M after feds cancel solar energy program

Maine Morning Star: Energy officials say termination of Solar for All program will hurt low-income Mainers

Maine Public Radio: Maine’s Solar for All program again at risk

NBC Portland (WCSH): Maine’s solar ambitions dim after $62M federal grant rescinded

The Maine Wire: EPA Ends $7 Billion Residential Solar Grant Program, Including $62 Million Allotted for Maine

The Portland Press Herald: Trump administration moves forward with clawing back $62 million in low-income solar grants for Maine

MARYLAND

Capital News Service: Maryland renewable energy projects face uncertain future

Maryland Daily Record: Amid cuts, MD renewable energy projects face uncertain future

The Baltimore Banner: Elimination of EPA solar program to cost Maryland more than $60 million

MASSACHUSETTS

Cape Public Radio: Federal cuts end solar program for low-income households in Massachusetts

The Boston Globe: The latest in a ‘tsunami of bad things’: Trump claws back funds for solar in low-income communities

 

MICHIGAN

ABC Detroit: EPA cuts funding for Michigan’s ‘Solar for All’ program

Bridge Michigan: Future of climate ‘resilience hubs’ uncertain after Trump cuts

Michigan Public Radio: EPA cuts $156 million in grants to EGLE, ending effort to help low income Michiganders access solar

MLive: Trump EPA pulls plug on $156M Michigan rooftop solar program

NBC Lansing (WILX): EPA cancels Michigan’s ‘Solar for All’ program

NBC Detroit (WDIV): Trump administration axes $156M in grants for Michigan solar panel program

Planet Detroit: EPA pulls plug on ‘Solar for All,’ $156 million in Michigan projects cut

The Detroit News: EPA cancels $156M for Michigan household solar projects

The Michigan Independent: Trump administration pulls the plug on $156M solar grants for Michigan households

FOX UP (WLUC): EPA cancels funding for Solar for All program

MINNESOTA

Canary Media: Minnesota, Illinois lose $1 billion from Trump energy cuts

Detroit Lakes Tribune: Minnesota fights back against EPA’s unfair cuts to Solar for All program

The Minnesota Star Tribune: Minnesota fights to keep $62 million solar grant yanked by feds

MISSOURI

Associated Press: $7B Biden-era solar program slashed by EPA, Missouri households to feel impact

 

MONTANA

Daily Inter Lake: Federal cuts spell stormy weather for Montana solar industry

Missoula Current: Trump EPA claws back $7B in solar funding already promised to states

Montana Public Radio: Trump cuts eliminate solar panel assistance program

NEBRASKA

Nebraska Public Media: ‘A sad ending’: Nebraska communities prepare to scrap ‘Solar for All’ projects after feds terminate funds

Omaha World-Herald: EPA cuts Nebraska’s $62 million grant to bring solar to communities

 

NEVADA

ABC Las Vegas (KTNV): Terminated: Locals react to the loss of a $156 million EPA solar grant

Associated Press: Nevada to lose more than $150M in federal aid geared toward rooftop solar

NBC Las Vegas (KSNV): Electricity bills in Nevada may rise as clean energy funds cut

Nevada Current: Nevada loses access to $156M in community solar funds thanks to Trump’s IRA clawback order

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada’s $156M low-income solar energy grant nixed, legal battle coming

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript: Solar for All program aims to expand access to solar power, especially in low-income communities

New Hampshire Public Radio: A multi-million dollar grant for solar power in New Hampshire is set to be scrapped

NH Business Review: Advocates decry $43.5 M solar grant clawback

Valley News: Solar for All distributes more than $22 million in funding but remains under threat

 

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Business Journal: EPA ends $7B Solar for All program, cutting NJ funding

 

NEW MEXICO

NBC Albuquerque (KOB): Trump administration scraps $135M in New Mexico clean energy projects, potentially raising utility costs

 

NEW YORK

Crain’s New York: As Washington retreats, New York must advance on solar

New York Post: EPA terminates $7 billion Biden-era grant program, cutting solar access to thousands of US households

 

NORTH CAROLINA

Blue Ridge Public Radio: After EPA cuts, an NC solar program for low-income homes is on the line

NC Newsline: North Carolina congressional Democrats ask EPA to restore $156M in solar grants

North Carolina Public Radio: Trump plans to end solar energy program meant for low-income households.

Spectrum News: Concerns over EPA’s cancellation of solar energy program in N.C.

The Assembly: N.C. Democrats Decry EPA Cancellation of Solar for All

The News & Observer: EPA cancels Solar for All funding. What does that mean for work underway in NC?

 

OHIO

Akron Beacon Journal: Big Beautiful Bill pulls plug on solar energy grants for lower-income Akron residents

Cincinnati Public Radio (WVXU): Cincinnati is losing a nearly $10M federal grant for a community solar array

Cleveland Plain Dealer: U.S. EPA’s termination of Solar for All means $250 million in lost investment to Ohio

Cleveland Plain Dealer: The war on sunshine: How federal cuts just stripped Ohio of $156 million for solar energy

Dayton Public Radio (WYSO): Dayton loses $9M grant for residential solar amid federal rollbacks on renewable energy

Ideastream Public Media: Trump administration cuts ‘Solar for All’ program, impacting lower-income families in Ohio

Ideastream Public Media: Cuts to solar program will hurt residents and businesses, Northeast Ohio officials say

Signal Ohio: Trump administration cancels $156 million in grants for low-income Ohioans to buy solar panels

WOSU Public Media: Columbus expecting loss of $15 million in funding for solar projects amid federal cuts

 

OKLAHOMA

StateImpact Oklahoma: Federal program to get solar panels in disadvantaged areas – including Oklahoma – cut by EPA

OREGON

KGW: Trump administration cuts funding for dozens of clean energy projects across Pacific Northwest

Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon to lose an additional $400 million in federal climate grants

Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon could lose $87M in federal support for rooftop solar

The Cool Down: State officials challenge EPA to restore millions in incentives for low-income homeowners to go solar

 

PENNSYLVANIA

Allegheny Front: EPA canceled Solar for All

Canary Media: Pennsylvania’s solar ambitions face high federal and state hurdles

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Is the sun setting on Pennsylvania’s solar future?

 

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Searchlight: Cancellation of solar energy grants is ‘another broken promise’ for tribes, recipient says

TENNESSEE

The Tennessee Lookout: EPA terminates $156M solar power program for low-income Tennesseans

TEXAS

ABC Austin (KVUE): EPA axing solar grants, jolting Austin’s energy future

Austin Public Radio: Austin will lose $32 million for solar power projects after federal funding cuts

Houston Chronicle: Federal government cancels over $400 million earmarked for Texas solar expansion

NBC Waco (KCEN): Solar for All Program cut by federal administration, leaving Waco families without energy relief

The Texas Tribune: Texas solar program left in limbo after Trump administration pulls the plug on $250 million grant

UTAH

The Salt Lake Tribune: Trump admin pulls nearly $62M in solar grants from Utah, leaving rural towns in the dark

VERMONT

Compass Vermont: Vermont’s Solar For All Program Now Paused Until Further Notice

Vermont Public Media: EPA eliminates Solar for All Program that would have brought Vermont $60M

VT Digger: Trump cuts $62.5 million in promised federal funding to Vermont solar projects

 

VIRGINIA

Virginia Public Radio (WHRO): Virginia loses $156 million for expanding solar power after EPA grant cut

Virginia Public Radio (WHRO): Trump Policies Threaten Virginia’s Clean Energy Gains

 

WASHINGTON

FOX Seattle (KCPQ): Latest EPA cuts could impact over $150M in WA funding for solar power

Washington State Standard: $156M solar power grant for Washington in limbo after Trump order

 

WEST VIRGINIA

WV News: West Virginia risks losing $106M in solar energy funding as EPA mulls cuts

West Virginia Public Radio: Trump EPA To Cancel $106 Million Solar Grant For W.Va.

West Virginia Watch: Even though WV’s solar program funding cuts aren’t surprising, they’re still disappointing

CBS Charleston (WOWK): EPA cancels $106 million meant for WV Solar for All program

 

WISCONSIN

The Center Square: EPA to phase out $62.4M in Wisconsin solar energy funds

Urban Milwaukee: Evers Balks At Trump Admin’s Plan To Cancel $62 Million Grant For Homeowners

Wisconsin Examiner: Evers calls on EPA chief to back off from canceling homeowner solar program

Wisconsin Public Radio: Evers urges Trump’s EPA to preserve $60M grant to help low-income families access solar

WYOMING

Cowboy State Daily: EPA Planning To Rescind $7 Billion In Federal Solar Grants, Including $30M For Wyoming

Wyoming Public Radio: EPA plans to end low-income solar power program that earmarked $30 million for Wyoming residents

WyoFile: Federal energy assistance funding uncertainty worries Wyoming advocates

Solar for All grantees and former EPA officials are available for interviews about the program. Contact emily@cleanpowerinformation.com to schedule a call.

# # #

“Today’s decision is another delay for working families desperate for relief from high home energy costs.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to D.C. District Court of Appeals decision extending the inability of Climate United and other Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds (GGRF) grantees to access their funding from baseless seizure, Clean Power Information Project Spokesperson Andrea Purse issued the following statement:

“While expected from this consistently partisan panel of judges, today’s decision is another delay for working families desperate for relief from high home energy costs. The investments in energy made possible by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) are exactly what we need—especially with energy bills up 10% this year and surging electricity demand. It is even more absurd because, despite what they may say on Fox News, the EPA is not even alleging waste, fraud, or abuse in court anymore. Before the freezing of these funds, GGRF investments were fueling economic growth, lowering energy costs for families, adding new housing, and creating high-paying jobs. If GGRF is cancelled, American consumers would pay $52 billion in higher energy costs and the U.S. would lose 36,000 to 41,000 jobs annually, hitting small businesses hardest.”

Read more about the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund doing work in communities across the country.