On Friday night, an email anonymously sent from “Budget and Planning,” apparently within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, re-froze spending on programs related to climate, clean energy, and civil rights in defiance of multiple judicial restraining orders. Programs frozen range from the Clean School Bus Program to Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports.
The full text is below.
Democratic members of Congress turned away from EPA headquarters, Feb. 6, 2025
To review:
On January 27th, Matthew J. Vaeth, the acting director of the White House Office Management and Budget, issued a memorandum demanding a government-wide freeze on all programs related to climate, the environment, civil rights, and reproductive health.
On Tuesday, January 28th, the EPA froze all spending:
“The agency is temporarily pausing all activities related to the obligation or disbursement of EPA Federal financial assistance at this time. EPA is continuing to work with OMB as they review processes, policies, and programs, as required by the memorandum.”
On January 29th, the Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the Democratic senators from Arizona, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, as well as John Fetterman (D-Pa.) joining all Republicans in support.
That same day, Judge Loren AliKhan issued a restraining order against the funding freeze.
On January 31st, Judge John McConnell issued another restraining order against the funding freeze.
On February 3rd, Judge Loren AliKhan issued a strengthened restraining order against the Trump administration’s wide-ranging freeze on funding obligations related to climate and civil rights.
On February 4th, the 24-year-old Elon Musk acolyte and effective-altruism cultist Gaultier Cole Killian was officially designated an EPA employee at [email protected].
That same day, the EPA’s acting chief financial officer, Gregg Treml, announced compliance with the restraining order:
“Consistent with the Order, the agency’s financial system will now enable the obligation of financial assistance. This includes programs within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, including federal financial assistance in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants, Brownfields, and Superfund.”
On February 6th, Democratic members of Congress were blocked by security guards from entering EPA headquarters. They then spoke to the press with environmental leaders from civil society in front of the building.
That same day, a review of financial assistance programs was announced by EPA acting deputy administrator Chad McIntosh, a former Ford environmental executive appointed to the EPA in the first Trump administration.
Email text:
From: Budget and Planning
Sent: Friday, February 7, 2025 6:04 PM
To: Budget and Planning ; OCFO-SBO ; OCFO-SBO-STAFF
Subject: RE: Additional Information on IIJA and IRA - program review pause
Pursuant to the review of financial assistance programs announced by the Acting Deputy Administrator on February 6, the following accounts are temporarily paused for new obligations or disbursements for assistance agreements, loans, rebates, interagency agreements, procurements, and no-cost actions pending a review for compliance with applicable administrative rules and policies.
Air Quality Sensors in Low Income and Disadvantaged Communities (OAR) (STAG)
Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (OAR) (STAG)
Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles in Nonattainment Areas (OAR) (STAG)
Clean School Bus Program (STAG)
Competitive Grants (OAR) (STAG)
Diesel Emissions Reductions (OAR) (STAG)
Emissions from Wood Heaters (OAR/ORD) (STAG)
Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants —Technical Assistance (OEJECR)
Environmental Product Declaration Assistance (OCSPP/ORD/OAR)
Fenceline Air Monitoring and Screening Air Monitoring (OAR/ORD) (STAG)
Funding for the Implementation of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (OAR)
Funding for Section 211 of the Clean Air Act —Advanced Biofuels (OAR)
GHG Air Pollution Implementation Grants (OAR) (STAG)
GHG and Zero Emission Standards for Mobile Sources (OAR) (STAG)
GHG Pollution Planning Grants (OAR) (STAG)
Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports (OAR) (STAG)
Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports in Nonattainment Areas (OAR) (STAG)
Greenhouse Gas Corporate Reporting (OAR) (STAG)
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund — General Assistance (OA) (STAG)
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund — Low Income and Disadvantaged Communities (OA) (STAG)
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund — Zero Emission Technologies (OA) (STAG)
Implementation / Accountability (OAR)
Implementation and Compliance (OECA)
Industry Outreach (OAR)
Low Embodied Carbon Labeling for Construction Materials for Transportation Methane Monitoring (OCSPP/OAR/ORD)
Multipollutant Monitoring Stations (OAR) (STAG)
State/Tribal/Local Government Outreach (OAR)
Technical Assistance for Low Income Communities (OAR)
Acronym glossary:
- GHG: greenhouse gases
- IIJA: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aka the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
- IRA: Inflation Reduction Act
- OA: Office of the Administrator
- OAR: Office of Air and Radiation
- OCSPP: Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
- OECA: Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
- OEJECR: Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
- OFCO: Office of the Chief Financial Officer
- OFCO-SBO: Office of the Chief Financial Officer - Senior Budget Officer
- ORD: Office of Research and Development
- STAG: State and Tribal Assistance Grants