Energy Department Investigates $50 Million Grant to Tribal Energy Consortium

The Biden administration's $50 million grant to the Tribal Energy Consortium (TEC) is under scrutiny due to potential ties to a federally funded group with a history of financial mismanagement. The Trump administration is investigating these grants, examining TEC's connections, particularly with its leader, Roger Fragua, who has faced audits revealing internal control weaknesses in a related charity. Concurrently, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is pledging to investigate $20 billion in funding from the Biden climate law, citing concerns over oversight. Additionally, the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) is closing its grantmaking program, initially intended to be funded with $50 million from the EPA, in light of opposition from the Trump administration. Critics, including Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito, have expressed relief that taxpayer dollars will not support CJA, which has been accused of radical views. This series of events highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the allocation and oversight of federal grants under the Biden administration.