In a significant legal advancement, two federal judges have ordered the immediate release of climate funds previously frozen by the Trump administration, providing a boost for nonprofit organizations aiming to address climate change.
Two Judges Rule to Release Climate Funds, Challenging Trump Administration
Two Judges Rule to Release Climate Funds, Challenging Trump Administration
Federal court decisions permit access to climate funds, countering Trump's funding freeze efforts.
April 16, 2025, saw a critical turn of events when U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan from the District of Columbia and Judge Mary S. McElroy from Rhode Island issued rulings that unfreeze hundreds of millions of dollars allocated for climate initiatives. This funding had been initially allocated under the Biden administration's initiatives but was stalled due to a funding freeze implemented by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Judge Chutkan's ruling allows for the release of up to $625 million tied to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a significant financial source also referred to as the by the “green bank” program. This decision comes as part of ongoing legal battles that target various efforts by the Trump administration to halt access to funds established during the last administration.
Simultaneously, Judge McElroy directed five federal agencies to reverse the freeze on environmental and infrastructure funds allocated to nonprofit groups. In her address, she emphasized that the non-profits effectively demonstrated that the indefinite suspension of their funding was not only unreasonable but lacked credible justification.
These actions represent part of a broader legal response to the Trump administration’s funding freezes, which affected billions of dollars earmarked through legislations such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2021. Courts have frequently intervened, ordering the release of funds that the Trump administration has sought to withhold using various legal justifications related to executive orders.
As the legal disputes continue, advocacy groups remain hopeful that these rulings will pave the way for the restoration of critical financial support for environmental projects aimed at combating climate change.
Judge Chutkan's ruling allows for the release of up to $625 million tied to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a significant financial source also referred to as the by the “green bank” program. This decision comes as part of ongoing legal battles that target various efforts by the Trump administration to halt access to funds established during the last administration.
Simultaneously, Judge McElroy directed five federal agencies to reverse the freeze on environmental and infrastructure funds allocated to nonprofit groups. In her address, she emphasized that the non-profits effectively demonstrated that the indefinite suspension of their funding was not only unreasonable but lacked credible justification.
These actions represent part of a broader legal response to the Trump administration’s funding freezes, which affected billions of dollars earmarked through legislations such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2021. Courts have frequently intervened, ordering the release of funds that the Trump administration has sought to withhold using various legal justifications related to executive orders.
As the legal disputes continue, advocacy groups remain hopeful that these rulings will pave the way for the restoration of critical financial support for environmental projects aimed at combating climate change.
