AG Brown successfully protects state energy funding as federal government drops appeal

Attorney General Nick Brown released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) rescinded its unlawful policy capping reimbursement for state energy programs, which would have forced the state to scale back or delay high-impact community programs. On Thursday, DOE agreed to dismiss its appeal, preserving the states' victory in federal court and bringing the case to a close.

"This victory preserves critical funding for wildfire mitigation planning, energy infrastructure protection, and energy efficiency programs that reduce costs for businesses, utilities, and local governments. These programs are sorely needed now as families see their energy costs continue to rise," said Brown. "We sued. We won. They gave up. Every time the Trump administration oversteps its authority and threatens our state, we will be there to fight back."

In August 2025, Brown and a coalition of states sued DOE over a new policy capping reimbursement for key administrative and staffing costs at ten percent of a project's total budget, threatening millions of dollars in funding for state energy programs.

In November 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon ruled in favor of the states and struck down DOE's "indirect costs" policy. After initially appealing that decision, DOE has now rescinded the policy and agreed to dismiss its appeal, ensuring that states will continue to receive full federal funding for these essential programs and bringing the litigation to a successful conclusion.

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