"The agency head said a $20 billion Biden climate program was marred by fraud and abuse. A judge said on Wednesday the E.P.A. hasn’t provided evidence."
"Over the last few months, Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, has made explosive accusations against the Biden administration, accusing it of “insane” malfeasance in its handling of $20 billion in climate grants.
Now, as a legal battle ensues over those funds, many of Mr. Zeldin’s claims remain unsupported, and some are flat-out false.
Mr. Zeldin has said that the program, which Congress approved as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, was vulnerable to “waste, fraud, and abuse.” If that claim was substantiated, it would allow the E.P.A. to take back the $20 billion, which was awarded to eight nonprofit groups. The money was to be used to finance projects across the country such as solar panels on community centers and geothermal systems to heat and cool subsidized housing.
But so far, the Trump administration has failed to provide evidence of wrongdoing. The E.P.A., which has worked to block the nonprofits from accessing the money, is now being sued by several of the organizations for breach of contract."
Lisa Friedman and Claire Brown report for the New York Times April 2, 2025.
SEE ALSO:
"Federal Judge Questions Whether EPA Move To Rapidly Cancel ‘Green Bank’ Grants Was Legal" (AP)
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