Staff Reports
A federal judge has tossed a wrench into the Biden administration’s attempt to claw back a hefty $20 billion in climate funding, money the Trump administration had put in place before the outgoing president left office. U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan determined that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had no legal leg to stand on when it attempted to yank the funds back without providing justification. It seems that, in their hurry to undo the previous administration’s actions, Biden’s team forgot about the basic principles of lawful governance.
Judge Chutkan upheld the idea that while federal agencies have the right to reassess their programs, they must do so within the confines of established laws and regulations. Apparently, the EPA didn’t get that memo beforehand and attempted a reckless move to retrieve the funds without even giving those originally slated to receive the money a heads-up. One could argue that in the bureaucratic arena, securing legal justification is akin to wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle—it’s not just smart, it’s mandatory.
Judge blocks EPA from taking back $20 billion Biden earmarked for climate groups https://t.co/wLHFBUCK0z
— Jeffrey A. Setaro (@jasetaro) March 19, 2025
The money in question had taken on a life of its own as the hallmark of the Biden administration’s “last-minute” moves to make government resistant to the Trump agenda—essentially a way to say, “We were here, and here’s our legacy!” This $20 billion payday had Democrats giddy, with the EPA likening its hasty distribution to tossing gold bars off the Titanic. Much like the ship itself, decisions made in the haze of desperation tend to sink faster than one can say “government waste.”
New EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has taken on the Herculean task of reversing this slapdash giveaway. He recently expressed that the freewheeling financial era of “throwing gold bars” is a thing of the past. With decisive action, he declared he would terminate grants burdened with waste and favoritism while vowing to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. Imagine that—a government official actually prioritizing the value of taxpayer money over feel-good climate initiatives. Shocking!
Zeldin clarified that the Biden administration had set aside these funds at Citibank, intending to spend them before exiting office. Instead, they left the funds parked like a forgotten car at the airport. Now, Zeldin is pushing Citibank to halt any disbursement, ensuring that the millions of taxpayer dollars won’t be frittered away on questionable projects masked as “climate equity.” If only the administration had considered such accountability before attempting to use taxpayer dollars as their personal slush fund for unproven environmental schemes.
