EPA Sparks Controversy Terminating 781 Environmental Justice Grants
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sparked controversy by announcing the termination of 781 environmental justice grants. This move comes amidst recent actions affecting employees and projects focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Nonprofits are challenging the administration's freezing of funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The EPA, under the Trump administration, has completed a grant-by-grant review and targeted those not aligning with its priorities. The cancellations will impact hundreds of grantees' projects, including a San Diego nonprofit's initiative for a majority-Latino community and a community center in Chiloquin, Oregon. So far, 377 grantees have been notified, with the remaining 404 to follow within two weeks.
Experts raise concerns about the EPA's process, questioning whether the full grant-by-grant review was conducted. All targeted grants fall under programs formed by the IRA, promoting clean energy and bolstering environmental projects. The EPA's recent actions also include notifying hundreds of employees working on diversity, equity, and inclusion and environmental justice issues that they would be fired or reassigned.
The EPA's decision to terminate 781 environmental justice grants has drawn criticism from nonprofits and experts. The cancellations will affect hundreds of projects, including those benefiting disadvantaged communities. The EPA maintains that the targeted grants did not align with its priorities, but questions remain about the thoroughness of the review process.
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