Attorney General Tong Announces Challenge to EPA's Attacks on Affordable Clean Energy for Low-Income Households

Press Releases 10/16/2025 Attorney General Tong Announces Challenge to EPA's Attacks on Affordable Clean Energy for Low-Income Households (Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong announced today Connecticut, 21 other states and the District of Columbia are suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for illegally ending a $7 billion program that lowers energy costs and pollution by bringing solar energy to more than 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country. Connecticut and 23 other grant recipients also filed suit yesterday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to recover damages for EPA's unlawful breach of the grant agreements that were executed under this program. Congress created the Solar for All program in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, directing EPA to make competitive grants to states and other entities to deploy solar projects in low-income and disadvantaged areas. EPA selected recipients and awarded all of the program funds to plaintiff states and other grant recipients by August 2024. Connecticut and the other plaintiffs moved forward with planning projects and working with stakeholders to develop their solar programs. But EPA abruptly and unlawfully terminated the program two months ago and clawed back the vast majority of the money already awarded. That has left Connecticut and the other plaintiffs without access to the funds to proceed with their solar programs, after the states spent significant time planning and launching programs and committing state funds. Connecticut was awarded and received $62.45 million in Solar for All funding in 2024 to increase access to solar and energy storage technologies for low-income and disadvantaged communities, including multifamily affordable housing. Working with the Connecticut Green Bank and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection expected to assist 7,400 households through increased incentives, new loans and lease programs for residential solar and energy storage. The work would save $76.2 million for participating households. On August 7, 2005, EPA liquidated the DEEP account that had contained the full remaining $62 million balance of the grant and suspended Connecticut's access to the grant account. Later, with no explanation, the account balance was changed to $4.34 million. To date, EPA has yet to provide DEEP with any explanation regarding the changes to the grant. "Donald Trump's irrational fixation on renewable energy is costing all of us. Just like with Revolution Wind, Trump is trying to tank our opportunities to secure clean, affordable energy and keep us dependent on fossil fuels and foreign oil. Congress created the Solar for All program, and EPA awarded these funds so that Connecticut could help low-income residents save millions of dollars on their energy bills. Trump cannot unilaterally reverse course now, and we're suing to make sure Connecticut gets every penny we are owed," said Attorney General Tong. "The Trump EPA's attempt to cancel the Solar For All program reduces access to clean, affordable solar energy for thousands of Connecticut residents," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. "Connecticut's Solar for All program would help residents, particularly those in multi-family affordable housing, and communities, access the benefits of clean solar energy and the much-needed cost savings it can provide. This program would also help us improve our air quality, which is among the worst in the nation, and make our electric grid more resilient. EPA's action runs completely counter to our efforts to bring affordable, clean, and reliable energy to Connecticut residents." When President Trump took office this past January, he prioritized fossil fuel extraction to address an alleged "energy emergency" while arbitrarily excluding solar power as a resource that can be tapped to meet the country's energy needs. In July, Congress passed the president's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," rescinding funds for the Solar for All program that were unobligated as of July 3. The effect of that move was small, given that EPA had obligated all of the $7 billion for the program nearly a year earlier. But instead of following that newly passed law, EPA and Zeldin illegally terminated the program on August 7. On social media, Zeldin made baseless accusations, calling Solar for All a "boondoggle." The agency then sent memos to all recipients, including the plaintiffs, saying EPA no longer has a "statutory basis or dedicated funding" for the program, even though Congress never directed EPA to cancel funds that had already been awarded. In fact, Congress did the opposite by only rescinding unobligated funds for Solar for All. Attorney General Tong and a multistate coalition are filing a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleging, among other things, that the EPA violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's Separation of Powers Doctrine in unlawfully canceling the program. The attorneys general of Arizona, Minnesota, and Washington are leading the complaint, which was joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Also joining the complaint are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Separately, Connecticut joined a lawsuit that was filed yesterday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. In that complaint, the states and other entities argue the EPA breached the clear terms of the agreements and violated the duty of good faith and fair dealing in canceling their Solar for All grants. They're asking the court to award the plaintiffs money damages, interest, and fees. The attorneys general of Maryland and Arizona are leading the complaint, which was also joined by the attorneys general in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Also joining the complaint are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Assistant Attorney General Jill Lacedonia and Deputy Associate Attorney General Matthew Levine, Chief of the Environment Section are assisting the Attorney General in this matter. Twitter: @AGWilliamTong Facebook: CT Attorney General Media Contact: Elizabeth Benton [email protected] Consumer Inquiries: 860-808-5318 [email protected] Twitter Facebook Email Print