The Trump administration has put a pause on a $100 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for clean energy projects in Arkansas. The grant recipients, including Metroplan, a planning agency in Little Rock, are working to unfreeze the funding. The grant was part of a larger program that awarded nearly a billion dollars to 23 projects across the United States. The projects in Arkansas were set to include electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle paths, and public housing solar projects.
The freeze on the funding was a result of an executive order signed by President Trump, calling for a freeze on climate-related funding from the Biden administration’s laws. While the funding is obligated to be given to Metroplan, it remains uncertain if the freeze will be lifted. The Trump administration has been targeting funding for programs like the “Green New Deal” and electric car initiatives.
The Arkansas Times reported that over half a billion dollars in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy to Arkansas could be impacted by Trump’s order. The recipients of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant are hopeful that the freeze is temporary and are working to resolve the issue with the Environmental Protection Agency. It remains to be seen if the program will be seen as contradictory to Trump’s energy goals and if legal action will be taken to release the funds.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
