Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
The funding freeze is reverberating through climate-related spending across the government, despite another court order Friday blocking it.
Why it matters: It's causing uncertainty for states and nonprofits that have already had IRA and IIJA-funded grants awarded.
- Even if funding is restored, questions remain about how these programs will be implemented moving forward.
Zoom in: Multiple state departments of transportation have paused implementation of their programs under the IIJA-funded National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program.
- That includes Alabama, which says on a state website that the program is on hold as of Jan. 28.
- Andreas Weber, advanced mobility coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, confirmed in an email Monday that the state has "paused all NEVI activities until further guidance is received."
And last week, awardees under EPA's Solar for All program — funded by the IRA — had disbursement of their contracted grants paused.
- As of 9:30am Monday, access to Treasury's Automated Standard Application for Payments system had not been restored for recipients, according to Zealan Hoover, who led implementation of the program under the Biden administration.
What we're watching: In issuing a temporary restraining order, U.S. District Judge John McConnell cited an email that EPA sent to grant awardees "pausing all activities" related to obligation and disbursement as evidence that agencies continued to carry out the freeze despite OMB rescinding the initial memo.
- "I'm looking to see either payments turned back on today or very clear, unambiguous guidance from EPA to its grantees on an expeditious timeline to restore payment access," Hoover told Axios.
- Asked for comment, EPA deferred to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond.
