DeKalb GA News

EPA Chief Lee Zeldin has announced the termination of $20 billion in grants previously awarded to eight nonprofit organizations under the Biden administration's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Zeldin, who is committed to ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, made this decision following revelations about the rapid allocation of funds prior to President Trump's inauguration.

The organizations affected by this decision include the Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv, and the Justice Climate Fund. These groups were initially tasked with distributing funds to various NGOs and other entities with limited oversight.

Zeldin stated that his team at the EPA discovered that these funds had been deposited in an external financial institution without adequate transparency or accountability. He emphasized that "roughly $20 billion of your tax dollars were parked at an outside financial institution by the Biden EPA," describing it as a scheme designed to quickly obligate money with reduced oversight.

The decision follows an undercover video released by Project Veritas in December 2024, which featured Brent Efron, a special advisor at the EPA. In the video, Efron admitted that there was a rush to allocate billions of dollars for climate initiatives before President Trump took office. This admission prompted Zeldin to promise a full accounting of the funds.

In response to these findings, Zeldin has called for the immediate termination of the financial agent agreement with Citibank and urged for all funds to be returned. He also plans to refer this matter to the inspector general's office and collaborate with the Justice Department.

Zeldin reiterated his commitment: “It is my commitment to President Trump, Congress, and you, that EPA will be an exceptional steward of your tax dollars.”