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Attorney General Platkin files lawsuit against EPA over termination of solar program for low-income households

TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, alongside 22 other plaintiffs, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. This legal action concerns the illegal termination of a $7 billion program designed to provide solar energy to more than 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country.

“The Trump Administration’s anti-environmental agenda is not only extreme and harmful, but also completely lawless,” said Attorney General Platkin. He added that the “President and his appointees cannot simply eliminate Congressionally-authorized programs on a whim.”

The Solar for All program was established by Congress in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. It directed the EPA to grant competitive funds for deploying solar projects in underprivileged areas. By August 2024, the program’s funding had been fully awarded, with New Jersey and the other plaintiffs proceeding with project planning and stakeholder engagement.

However, in August, the EPA suddenly terminated the program and retracted the majority of the funds that had already been allocated. This decision left the plaintiff states without necessary resources to advance their solar initiatives despite their previous planning and commitments of state funds.

When taking office in January, President Trump focused on fossil fuel extraction while disregarding solar energy. In July, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” rescinding some funds for the Solar for All program. Although the EPA had previously allocated all project funding, it instead chose to terminate the program unlawfully on August 7.

Platkin and a coalition of states are pursuing legal recourse in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. They allege that the EPA’s actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution’s Separation of Powers Doctrine. Simultaneously, New Jersey and additional grant recipients have initiated a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

The complaint in the Federal Claims Court cites a breach of the agreements stemming from the funding cancelation. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages, interest, and fees.

Attorney General Platkin’s action represents a significant effort to uphold legal agreements aimed at providing affordable solar energy in New Jersey and other states impacted by the EPA’s termination of the program.

In a major pushback against federal actions, this lawsuit underscores the ongoing battle for access to clean energy for low-income households.