Funding Halt Causes Crisis at Environmental Nonprofit
TL/DR –
The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League in North Carolina has been unable to access a $365,000 grant it received under the Inflation Reduction Act for an air monitoring project, after an order from President Donald Trump froze all money authorised by the act. The block was subsequently overturned by a federal judge, but the group’s account has since disappeared from the Environmental Protection Agency’s system. The situation has caused widespread confusion, with many other environmental projects also unable to access their funding.
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League Grapples with Funding Issues
North Myrtle Beach’s Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) has experienced complications with a $365,000 grant obtained under the Inflation Reduction Act since late November. The funds, used for paying two project managers and covering operational expenses of an air monitoring project in marginalized communities, suddenly became unavailable.
“She tried more than once, and it was as if the grant disappeared,” stated Therese Vick, BREDL’s research director. Screenshots reveal an error message stating: “No accounts found matching that criteria.”
The defunding has left BREDL’s project in limbo, despite the organization also investing its own funds. “This is a blow,” Vick admitted. “We have worked really hard to be accountable for this grant.”
Confusion over Inflation Reduction Act Funding
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a highlight of the Biden administration, allocated $369 billion for environmental projects, renewable energy, and climate change mitigation, with nearly $20 billion going to North Carolina. However, confusion over the status of funding for projects, both large and small, has been rampant since President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
An executive order from Trump freezing all IRA and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money added to the uncertainty. Despite a federal judge blocking this order, the availability of funds remains unclear due to conflicting statements from the administration.
An EPA spokesperson provided no clarity on the IRA funding issue, stating, “Neither EPA nor the Department of Justice can provide further information on pending litigation.”
On Feb. 5, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s IRA page displayed a “Page Not Located” message. However, a Feb. 4 letter from EPA acting Chief Financial Officer Gregg Tremi indicated that the “agency’s financial system will now enable the obligation of financial assistance” for IRA programs, Superfund, Brownfields, and state and tribal assistance grants.
Impact on Environmental Justice Projects
Many organizations remain disrupted despite federal judges blocking Trump’s funding freeze, according to Jillian Blanchard, vice president of Climate Change and Environmental Justice at Lawyers for Good Government. Numerous groups still can’t access promised funding, which leaves workers unpaid and critical projects unfunded.
Trump targeted environmental justice projects for defunding in a series of executive orders after his inauguration. He revoked several of former President Joe Biden’s orders aimed at advancing equity for low-income and non-white communities disproportionally exposed to pollution sources.
The Role of BREDL
BREDL, with 20 local chapters, addresses environmental issues across the Southeast. It focuses on natural gas pipelines, fracking, coal ash, air pollution, and PFAS in environmental justice communities.
Its employees, trained with EPA and state environmental officials, monitor pollutant levels, wind direction, and speed data daily. BREDL plans to establish air monitoring stations in seven communities, despite financial uncertainties, as their other grants and donations cover their employees.
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