Judge Blocks EPA from Enforcing $20 Billion Climate Grants Freeze

A federal judge has blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from suspending or reclaiming billions of dollars in Biden-era climate grants, marking a significant setback for the Trump administration's efforts to halt government climate spending. The ruling, issued by Judge Tanya Chutkan, prevents the EPA from limiting access to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants, which support investments in green technologies. Three major grant recipients successfully argued that losing access to the funds would cause irreparable harm to their work in community investment and climate initiatives. The EPA appealed the decision, seeking to maintain the freeze on roughly $20 billion in grants while legal proceedings continue. The agency has also filed emergency motions to pause the release of funds, arguing recipients could quickly spend the money, making recovery difficult if the government ultimately prevails. This legal conflict underscores the broader struggle between the Trump and Biden administrations over the direction of U.S. climate policy.