agriculture

EPA Cancels $7 Billion Solar Program for Low-Income Families

The Environmental Protection Agency shut down a major solar energy program on Thursday that was meant to help over 900,000 lower-income American families install solar panels on their homes.

The cancelled program, called "Solar for All," was launched during the Biden administration with $7 billion in funding.

Governor Katie Hobbs took to social media, stating, “President Trump ran on lowering costs and creating jobs. Gutting Solar for All will do the exact opposite. It makes our air dirtier, our energy bills higher, and our economy weaker.”

Continuing: “I will continue to fight for the clean and affordable energy future Arizonans want and deserve.

The money had already been awarded to 60 different groups, including states, tribal governments, and regional organizations, to help pay for rooftop solar panels and community solar projects.

Solar energy helps reduce homeowners' electricity bills and creates cleaner power for the electrical grid. The program specifically targeted families who couldn't otherwise afford solar installations.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the solar program was eliminated due to provisions in a new law signed in July 2025. The law repealed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the broader $27 billion initiative that included the Solar for All program.

The EPA claims it has the legal authority to take back money already promised to recipients.

However, the organizations that received funding disagree, arguing that much of the money has already been obligated and that the government is violating legally binding agreements.

Last week, EPA Administrator Zeldin announced regulatory changes affecting rules protecting clean air and water.

Some of these changes include reconsidering limits on coal and gas power plant emissions, and revisiting rules that control toxic metals like mercury and arsenic in power plant wastewater, pollutants that can cause cancer and harm children's development.

The administration argues these regulatory rollbacks will help the economy by reducing burdens on industry, though others say they could harm public health and the environment.

Ericka Piñon

Ericka Pinon is a state and federal reporter for Cactus Politics. She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and is fluent in both English and Spanish. She is currently studying Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University.

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