The federal district court for the District of Maryland ruled that EPA’s terminations of environmental and climate justice block grants awarded under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). As initial matters, the court concluded that it had jurisdiction under the APA to hear the claims and that the terminations of the grants were reviewable under the APA because the actions were not committed to agency discretion by law. On the merits, the court found that EPA acted in excess of its statutory authority because “the stated basis for terminating these grants”—a policy objection to “environmental justice” programs—was “entirely incompatible with the statutory mandate” to support environmental and climate justice. The court also found that the terminations were arbitrary and capricious due to the “lack of any reasoned decision-making, or reasoned explanation,” which was “compounded by the fact that the terminations reflect a reversal of EPA’s prior polices under which these grants” were awarded. The court did not reach the plaintiffs’ claims that the terminations violated the First Amendment and conflicted with federal grant regulations. As a remedy, the court vacated the terminations of the plaintiffs’ grants and remanded for further proceedings.

Challenge to EPA’s termination of initial grant awards under the Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program established by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Inc. v. EPA

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Maryland Federal Court Vacated EPA’s Terminations of Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants

Filed

United States of America

Maryland

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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.

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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

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

Hot temperature extremes are daily maximum temperatures  that were exceeded on average once in a decade or once in 50 years, and includes heatwaves.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

Terrestrial means "of the earth" and relates to the risks to ecological system that includes all living organisms and their interactions within land-based environments, such as forests, grasslands, and deserts.

Air pollution involves harmful contaminants in the air, affecting both indoor and outdoor environments. It can lead to health issues like respiratory diseases and heart problems, and climate impacts such as global warming. Pollutants can damage plants, trees, habitats, and water bodies like rivers and lakes.

Social protection systems consist of policies that help people manage social risks in order to prevent poverty and maintain decent incomes and living standards

People with different national or cultural traditions from the dominant population

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People who have left their homes, whether through force, voluntarily, or a mixture of both

woman and genders outside of the gender binary

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Maryland Federal Court Vacated EPA’s Terminations of Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Just transition

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance