U.S. District Judge Tanya #Chutkan says some nonprofits awarded billions for a so-called green bank to finance #CleanEnergy & #climate-friendly projects cannot have their contracts scrapped & must have access to some of the frozen money. The ruling is a defeat for #Trump’s [mockery of an] #EPA, which argues the program is rife w/ financial mismanagement.

#law #USpol
https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-grants-clean-energy-projects-1bcc9dd5c92f8dfb4304add043711278

The EPA can't end grants from $20 billion Biden-era fund for climate-friendly projects, a judge says

A federal judge says some nonprofits awarded billions for a so-called green bank to finance clean energy and climate-friendly projects cannot have their contracts scrapped and must have access to some of the frozen money. The ruling is a defeat for President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency, which argues the program is rife with financial mismanagement. Climate United CEO's says the order late Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan “gives us a chance to breathe after the EPA unlawfully — and without due process — terminated our awards and blocked access to funds that were appropriated by Congress and legally obligated." The EPA immediately appealed.

AP News

The order late Tues by Judge #Chutkan “gives us a chance to breathe after the EPA unlawfully — & w/o #DueProcess — terminated our awards & blocked access to funds that were appropriated by #Congress & legally obligated,” said #ClimateUnited CEO Beth Bafford.

The lawsuit by Climate United Fund & other groups contends that the #EPA, Admin #LeeZeldin & #Citibank, which held the money, illegally blocked the funds awarded last year & had jeopardized the organizations’ operations.

#law #USpol #Trump

Update:

The DC Circuit, late last night, blocked Judge #Chutkan’s ruling requiring #Citibank to disburse funds appropriated to #Biden-era #climate programs.

This is temporary & has nothing to do with the merits of the case.

#law #EPA #Trump