Senate Opposition to EPA Chief Zeldin's Funding Freeze and Grant Cancellations Sparks Bipartisan Fury
Rewritten Article:
In the nation's capital, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faced a grilling under bipartisan scrutiny on Wednesday, as doubts swirled over its decisions to scrap billions in congressionally-approved funding designed to battle pollution in underprivileged communities and ignite clean energy projects across the nation.
Over 800 grants were handed out during the Biden administration under the 2022 Climate Act, which ordered the EPA to shell out $3 billion on grants to aid low-income and minority communities in improving their air and water quality and combat climate change. The law also allocated an additional $20 billion under a so-called 'green bank' program to financially back clean energy and eco-friendly projects nationwide.
However, the Trump administration abruptly halted funding for both programs, a move that Democrats have denounced as unconstitutional and illicit.
Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, charged EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin with illegally withholding the climate-law funds, despite a law that explicitly prohibits such actions by the executive branch. Courts, including the Supreme Court, have time and again supported Congress' power to set spending levels.
Merkley stated, "Zeldin's actions endanger communities by making it harder to address pollution and climate chaos."
Albeit on different ends of the political aisle, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, who chairs a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the environment, also lambasted Zeldin. Murkowski slammed the funding freezes, including those intended for rural communities in Alaska, as "somewhat indiscriminate."
This wasn't the amicable exchange that Zeldin shared with Murkowski. Faced with questions from Democrats, Zeldin was less agreeable. Bitter exchanges ensued. "So you understand that when you impound funds, you're violating the law?" Merkley asked Zeldin, who took over at EPA in January, after serving as a New York congressman.
"No, Senator, we are going to follow all statutory obligations," replied Zeldin. "We absolutely disagree with you very strongly." Asked under what authority the money was being withheld, Zeldin pointed to "policy priorities" under the former Trump administration that conflict with the current Biden era stance.
Murray criticized Zeldin and the Trump administration's approach to the EPA: "Burn it down." The money being withheld, according to Murray, would have covered costs like heat pumps to reduce energy consumption and pollution, wildfire preparedness, and infrastructure upgrades to defend drinking water from floods and earthquakes.
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff questioned Zeldin about the cancellation of a $19.8 million grant to Thomasville, Georgia, to renovate a wastewater collection system and build a community health clinic. "Is a new health clinic for Thomasville woke?" Ossoff inquired, pointing out that the grant originated from an environmental justice program the EPA has halted.
In response, Zeldin cited policy priorities, prompting Ossoff to cut him off, "You hurt my constituents." Later, Zeldin suggested that grants to Thomasville and towns in Alaska and Washington state could potentially be restored if language about environmental justice and diversity was removed, in line with an executive order by Trump.
Zeldin evaded specifying goals for EPA staffing under his tenure but hinted that staff numbers might return to levels last seen under former President Ronald Reagan. During Reagan's presidency, the EPA had fewer than 11,000 employees, compared to over 15,100 in 2024.
The agency has let go of hundreds of employees and presented voluntary retirement or deferred resignation deals to thousands more as part of a broader initiative by Trump and adviser Elon Musk to scale back the federal workforce[5].
Insights from Enrichment:- The EPA has terminated 40% of active grants under the Inflation Reduction Act, amounting to an undisclosed value[3].- On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14154, directing agencies to cease disbursing funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, followed by a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to pause all grant, loan, and financial assistance programs. The OMB memorandum was later rescinded after court challenges, but many awardees reported difficulties accessing their funding[5].- The House Committee on Energy & Commerce has proposed a reconciliation bill that targets sections of the Inflation Reduction Act for repeal or the rescission of funds, potentially rescinding up to $9.65 billion in unobligated funds, impacting programs intended for low-income and minority communities[1].- Over $39 billion in Inflation Reduction Act grants remain active, according to EPA officials[3]. Despite these funds, the ongoing legal and administrative uncertainties continue to affect the stability of these programs.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under scrutiny for ceasing billions in funding meant to combat pollution and climate change in underprivileged communities.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was ordered by law to disburse $3 billion on grants to aid low-income and minority communities in improving their environment.
- Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and other Democrats claim that the EPA's withholding of climate-law funds is unconstitutional and illicit.
- Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski agrees with the funding freezes but criticizes them for being indiscriminate, especially for rural communities.
- Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff criticizes the EPA for cancelling a grant to Thomasville, Georgia, accusing them of disregard for community health.
- The EPA's Administrator, Lee Zeldin, cites policy priorities for the funding halts, pointing to the former Trump administration's stance.
- Climate-change related grants for Thomasville, Alaska, and other areas might be reinstated if language about environmental justice and diversity is removed, as per an executive order by Trump.
- The EPA has let go of hundreds of employees and offered voluntary retirement or deferred resignation deals to thousands more, following a broader initiative by Trump and Elon Musk to scale back the federal workforce.
