Over 20 states have filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging the agency’s decision to cancel the “Solar For All” program, a $7 billion initiative aimed at making solar power accessible to low-income households. The program was established in 2022 under the Inflation Reduction Act and had allocated grants for rooftop and community solar projects. However, in August, the EPA announced the program’s cancellation and withdrew approximately 90% of the grant funds.
The states behind the lawsuit, led by Washington, Arizona, and Minnesota, argue that the EPA’s decision is a violation of the Administrative Procedures Act and exceeds the agency’s constitutional authority. They claim that the program’s cancellation will jeopardize millions of dollars in funding and hinder efforts to reduce carbon pollution and make solar power more affordable. Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown stated that the administration is “ignoring the law” and prioritizing a “conspiracy theory” that climate change is a hoax.
This lawsuit is part of a broader effort by states to challenge the EPA’s attempts to roll back clean energy programs initiated under the Biden administration. Earlier this month, a group of nonprofits and solar installers filed a similar lawsuit, and another lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims by states and state energy organizations. A third lawsuit was also filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island by solar companies, homeowners, nonprofits, and unions, arguing that the EPA’s action would result in the loss of access to affordable solar power for nearly a million people and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.
The White House has directed inquiries about the lawsuit to the EPA, which has declined to comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit alleges that the EPA’s decision was “unilateral and illegal” and that the agency overreached its authority by attempting to cancel a program and funding approved by Congress. The states are seeking to restore the funding and allow the program to continue, citing the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making solar power more accessible to low-income households.