Summary
A U.S. appeals court decided that the Trump administration can stop more than $16 billion in federal grants given to climate change nonprofits. This decision overturned a lower court's ruling and involved a dispute over grant agreements tied to environmental projects. The court's ruling focused on which judicial body had the authority to decide on such cases.
Key Facts
- A U.S. appeals court allowed the Trump administration to end federal grants for climate change nonprofits.
- The decision reversed a lower court ruling and was decided by a 2-1 vote in the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia.
- Judge Neomi Rao, appointed by Trump, wrote that the case should be handled by the Court of Federal Claims.
- The grants were part of the Inflation Reduction Act, a large climate change investment law passed under President Biden.
- Funding was intended for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to support green-energy projects.
- Lee Zeldin, then head of the EPA, criticized the funds as government waste.
- Disbursement of these funds was frozen after Zeldin's announcement in February.
- The legal battle involves groups like the Climate United Fund and the Coalition for Green Capital trying to access these funds.
