Federal judge rules EPA unlawfully ended climate grant program affecting Walker River Paiute Tribe
Decision could influence the fate of a $20 million climate resiliency grant for the Nevada tribe
A federal judge in South Carolina ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unlawfully terminated the $2.8 billion Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program, according to reporting by Nevada Current. U.S. District Judge Richard Mark Gergel wrote that the agency’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious and unlawful” and violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The ruling could affect a $20 million EPA grant rescinded from the Walker River Paiute Tribe in Nevada. The funding was intended to support a multi-year climate resiliency plan serving about 1,200 tribal members on the Walker River Reservation.
The grant would have improved water, energy and food infrastructure, weatherized 150 homes and supported a community resilience and food storage hub, according to Nevada Current’s reporting. The judge did not order the EPA to restore the program, but wrote that affected recipients could pursue monetary claims in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. An EPA spokesperson said the agency is reviewing the decision.
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