In November, energy groups filed a lawsuit against Sec. of Energy Christopher Wright and other government agencies involved with canceling Dept. of Energy funding during the 2025 government shutdown. The lawsuit — signed by the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota; Interstate Renewable Energy Council; Plug in America; Elevate Energy; Southeast Community Organization; and the Environmental Defense Fund — claimed that the White House halted clean energy funding for Democratic-led states. This was a violation of the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection clause.
This week, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ruled that the administration did violate the Constitution’s equal protection requirements when it canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants for clean, affordable energy and transportation projects based on the states in which the grantees were located. The DOE grants relied on Congressionally approved funding and were designed to save American families money, reduce air pollution, and protect people’s health.
The court concluded that the DOE’s grant termination decisions violate the Fifth Amendment, which protects fundamental legal rights, including the right to equal protection under the law. The grant terminations were highly publicized on social media by members of the administration, who canceled grants only in states that did not vote for the current president.
“Plug In America is relieved by the court’s decision,” said Joel Levin, Plug In America’s executive director. “We look forward to continuing our important work of educating drivers and dealers about the benefits of electric vehicles. During this current affordability crisis, consumers need choices that help reduce their household transportation costs, reduce unhealthy pollution, and eliminate our reliance on foreign oil.”
“The court recognized that the Trump Dept. of Energy vindictively canceled projects for clean affordable energy that just happened to be in states disfavored by the Trump administration, in violation of the bedrock Constitutional guarantee that all people in all states have equal protection under the law,” said Vickie Patton, General Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund. “The administration’s damaging actions violated the U.S. Constitution, foundational American values, and basic decency, and it imposed high costs on the American people who rely on clean affordable energy for their pocketbooks and for healthier lives.”
The ruling this week vacates the termination of seven clean energy grants, including SolSmart program funds and EV charging campaigns.
