Two federal judges issued decisive rulings on April 16, 2025, to unblock hundreds of millions of dollars in climate-related funds previously frozen under the Trump administration. The first ruling came from U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan in Washington D.C., who ordered the immediate release of up to $625 million in climate grants tied to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a cornerstone of Biden-era environmental financing.
Judges Rule to Restore Climate Funding Amid Trump Administration Policies
Judges Rule to Restore Climate Funding Amid Trump Administration Policies
Rulings from federal judges push back against the Trump administration's funding freezes for climate and infrastructure initiatives, restoring access to millions for nonprofits.
Simultaneously, Judge Mary S. McElroy in Rhode Island mandated five federal agencies to reactivate environmental and infrastructure funding that had been inaccessible to nonprofit organizations since being frozen. Judge McElroy emphasized that the nonprofits had convincingly shown that the indefinite freeze imposed by the Trump administration lacked both reasonable justification and explanation, declaring that the enforcement of the freeze was likely arbitrary in nature.
These rulings represent a critical victory for various nonprofits that had relied on funding designated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2021 and 2022. The Trump administration has faced numerous lawsuits challenging their decision to halt these funds, often citing legal loopholes as reasons for the delays. Despite these rulings, officials within the administration maintain that such pauses are necessary to synchronize with presidential executive orders established since Trump's presidency commenced.
These rulings represent a critical victory for various nonprofits that had relied on funding designated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2021 and 2022. The Trump administration has faced numerous lawsuits challenging their decision to halt these funds, often citing legal loopholes as reasons for the delays. Despite these rulings, officials within the administration maintain that such pauses are necessary to synchronize with presidential executive orders established since Trump's presidency commenced.
