EPA federal funding freeze sows uncertainty for North Carolina clean energy programs (WFAE)
The Environmental Protection Agency froze Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds two weeks ago. Those funds are still frozen, though Politico reports some grant recipients have been able to access funds since the federal agency implemented the order.
The Inflation Reduction Act funded the $7 billion Solar for All program, which aimed to give low-income and disadvantaged communities access to solar energy generation.
“Every attempt to block funds from flowing into communities will cause projects to stall, lose private capital investments — or worse, stop development of projects,” said Luis Martinez, southeast regional director of climate and energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, in a written statement.
The move drew criticism from environmental groups, including Sustain Charlotte. The nonprofit said that “rolling back environmental justice programs does not make pollution disappear;” instead, it leaves the most vulnerable out of the conversation.
“Environmental changes don’t happen overnight,” said Shannon Binns, founder and executive director of Sustain Charlotte. “You need not just expertise, but people who understand how to make those changes and how to make them through federal policymaking and regulations.”