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
Washington, D.C., officials have paused several green energy programs and are reviewing others following the Trump administration’s federal spending freeze, even though it has since been halted.
A judge extended the pause on the federal spending freeze last week, placing Washington, D.C.’s plans for its programs in flux.
“We are currently reviewing all executive actions, orders, and agency memos to better understand potential impacts on federal grants issued to states, counties, and cities nationwide,” the Office of the City Administrator’s spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
Washington, D.C., is pausing three grants, all focused on green energy: the National Electric Vehicle Formula Program, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fund, and the Home Efficiency and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates. The grants represent about $140 million in federal funding and are the “most at-risk” for permanent changes.
The city administrator’s office added that they are waiting for additional guidance from federal agencies. When asked by the Washington Examiner about other programs or grants they expect to be vulnerable, they declined to provide further details.
The Trump administration has opposed wind and solar projects while pausing all climate change-related federal grants, most of which were authorized by former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
President Donald Trump called the move “terminating the Green New Deal” in his executive order titled, “Unleashing American Energy.”
“America is blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation’s economic prosperity,” it says.
“In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens,” it adds. “These high energy costs devastate American consumers by driving up the cost of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing, while weakening our national security.”
The paused Washington, D.C., grants would have delivered funds toward solar initiatives, electric vehicle infrastructure, and affordable housing energy efficiency.
The Inflation Reduction Act accounts for about $64.3 million of energy and environmental project funding for Washington, D.C. Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was noted in Trump’s executive order as well and could be vulnerable.
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Washington, D.C., has about $83 million in energy and environment grants awarded by the law and also holds a $6.8 million clean school bus rebate from the Environmental Protection Agency that it was selected for in 2023. That rebate would’ve awarded money “to replace existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models.”
The Washington Examiner also reached out to Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office for comment but did not receive a response.