Judge blocks Trump administration from terminating $14 billion in 'green bank' grants

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from terminating $14 billion in grants awarded to three climate groups by the Biden administration. The order by U.S. District Judge Tonya Chutkan prevents the Environmental Protection Agency from ending the grant program and freezing awards totaling $20 billion. Chutkan’s order also blocks Citibank, which holds the money on behalf of the EPA, from transferring the money back to the government or anyone else. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had accused the grant recipients of mismanagement, fraud and self-dealing and froze the grants. But after reviewing arguments in the case, Chutkan said Zeldin’s allegations fell short.