Attorney General Clark Sues the Trump Administration for Illegally Terminating Funding for Energy and Infrastructure Programs

Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's unlawful decision to terminate funding for congressionally mandated energy and infrastructure programs. The lawsuit challenges the decisions by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure awards nationwide, including in Vermont, which stands to lose out on more than $3 million awarded to the University of Vermont (UVM). The complaint alleges that the unlawful decision to eliminate energy programs created by Congress violates the separation of powers and the Administrative Procedure Act. The coalition asks the court to permanently stop the Administration from interfering with these programs.

"Again and again, the Trump Administration illegally terminates grants created by Congress in violation of our Constitution," said Attorney General Clark. "President Trump wants to stifle renewable energy generation because he is living in the past. Renewable energy will give Vermont communities, which have suffered from climate-related flooding, a brighter and more resilient future. In filing this lawsuit, I'm fighting for our democracy and our future."

On his first day in office, President Trump issued executive orders declaring a bogus "national energy emergency" and "Terminating the Green New Deal." Pursuant to this directive, DOE compiled a "hit list" of energy and infrastructure awards worth billions of dollars, and in May, DOE issued a policy memorandum asserting that it would subject projects to which it had previously awarded funding to a vague and opaque "review" process that was in truth designed to provide cover to eliminate energy and infrastructure programs.

In September, Russell Vought, the Director of OMB, posted on X that DOE would be terminating nearly $8 billion in "Green New Scam" funding to fuel 'the Left's climate agenda.'" The post listed 16 states where projects would be defunded, all Democratically-leaning. DOE announced the cuts the next day, citing their May 2025 policy memorandum. In Vermont, DOE terminated nearly $3.4 million in funding to UVM that was intended to support research related to renewable energy distribution.

Joining Attorney General Clark in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the complaint is available on our website.

This lawsuit is the 42^nd case Attorney General Clark has brought against the Trump Administration since President Trump took office in January 2025. For more information on actions taken by the Attorney General on behalf of Vermonters, visit our website at https://ago.vermont.gov/ago-actions .

CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171