An organization that received an approximately $20 million grant under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program filed a lawsuit in the federal district court for the Northern District of Georgia challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s purported termination of the entire grant program and refusal to disburse awarded grants. The grant awarded to the plaintiff was for acquisition of land for “a green campus for the community of Norcross”; for offering emergency and clean energy job training; and for services such as air, water, and energy assessment and remediation. The complaint asserted that the federal defendants’ actions were arbitrary and capricious in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and that the defendants’ actions exceeded their authority, were contrary to law, and failed to observe required procedures in violation of the APA. The plaintiffs also asserted separate claims that the defendants’ actions were ultra vires and violated separation of powers. The plaintiff sought declaratory and injunctive relief, including an injunction preventing the defendants from terminating the grant program and from impeding or terminating the plaintiff’s access to awarded funds.

Challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s purported termination of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program and refusal to disburse awarded grants.

Lucky Shoals Community Association, Inc. v. EPA

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Grant Recipient Challenged Termination of Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

Filed

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

People who are less able to respond to the effects of climate change due to having limited financial or physical assets

Direct investments by the governments using public funds. This can be to support climate initiatives or integrate climate into other projects.

A ban is a legal action that prevents the sale or supply of a product or service, or that recalls a product from the market. Examples are bans on SF6, greenwashing, fossil fuel advertisement or single-use plastics.

Using laws and the legal system more broadly to protect vulnerable entities

Aligning the skills of the workforce with the requirements of the just transition.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Actions to reduce emissions in energy generation and supply.

Any compulsory, unrequited payment to the government levied on corporations or individuals. This can be for environmental reasons, such as introducing a Carbon tax to set a price that emitters must pay for the greenhouse gases they emit.

Activities that involve planning, designing and building infrastructure, residential, and commercial structures.

Grant Recipient Challenged Termination of Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

Policy instrument

Impacted group

Just transition

Renewable energy

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance