RHODE ISLAND — Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG), together with the Conservation Law Foundation, Southern Environmental Law Center, and Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, today filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island, on behalf of a coalition of businesses and nonprofits, challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s unlawful termination of Solar for All.
The complaint, filed on behalf of the plaintiffs, Rhode Island AFL-CIO, Rhode Island Center for Justice, the Hopi Tribal Council, Solar United Neighbors, Sunpath Consulting, 2KB Energy Services, Energy Independent Solutions, and Black Sun Light Sustainability, asks the court to declare EPA’s termination unlawful, vacate the action, enjoin any de-obligation or interference with funds, and direct EPA to reinstate Solar for All so projects can proceed as intended.
A $7 billion program authorized by Congress, Solar for All represents a generational opportunity to cut skyrocketing power bills, create good-paying jobs, and equip communities to address the causes and consequences of a changing climate. All that funding is intended to get affordable solar power to more people through new leasing and power purchase programs, multifamily installations, workforce development and more.
What’s at stake:
Household savings & access: According to the EPA’s own estimates, the program was projected to help nearly 900,000 households access solar energy, with participating households collectively saving more than $350 million each year on utility costs and typical low-income households saving ~$400 per year.
Jobs & training: Hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs and apprenticeship pipelines with labor partners now at risk.
Public health & climate: EPA estimated more than 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide avoided, which is equal to taking 7 million cars off the road.
Tribal communities: More than 7% of funds slated for Tribal nations. On the Hopi reservation, where nearly 35% of homes lack electricity, distributed solar is the only feasible option for reliable power.
““EPA’s termination of the $7 billion Solar for All program is a betrayal against a million American families and communities who need access to clean, affordable energy,” said Jillian Blanchard, Vice President, Climate Change & Environmental Justice at L4GG. “By terminating the Solar for All program while simultaneously ending clean air protections, this administration is sending a clear message: they will make Americans pay with their savings and their health in order to benefit the fossil fuel industry. We will not allow this administration to trample the legal rights of Americans, and we will keep fighting for a clean, affordable future for the people and the planet.””
““The executive branch cannot rewrite laws it dislikes or claw back billions already obligated by Congress. If allowed to stand, this would set a dangerous precedent where no federal program is safe from political targeting,” said Gary DiBianco, counsel at L4GG’s Pro Bono Litigation Corps.”
If you’re interested in speaking with Jillian Blanchard, Gary DiBianco, and impacted plaintiffs, let us know and we can look to arrange.
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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and advocates in the fight for justice. We identify where lawyers can make the greatest impact and mobilize them to defend democracy and the rule of law, protect civil and human rights, and advance environmental justice through coordinated legal action and advocacy efforts that create meaningful change for all Americans.