Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

While Pledging To Clean Up Toxic Chemicals, EPA Guts Hundreds of Environmental Grants

While Pledging To Clean Up Toxic Chemicals, EPA Guts Hundreds of Environmental Grants

EPA Administrator Zeldin speaks with reporters on Long Island, NY.

Courtesy EPA via Flickr.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration promised to combat toxic “forever chemicals,” while conversely canceling nearly 800 grants aimed at addressing environmental injustices, including in communities plagued with PFAS contamination.

In a court filing, the Environmental Protection Agency revealed for the first time that it intends to cancel 781 environmental justice grants, nearly double what had previously been disclosed.


Environmental justice advocates say the EPA’s pledge to combat PFAS rings hollow as it simultaneously slashes its budget, shutters key offices, and cancels hundreds of grants aimed at addressing pollution in low-income and vulnerable communities.

“I think it’s ironic that [the EPA] is positioning itself as justly enforcing its mission of protecting human health and the environment when they’re doing the antithesis of that,” said Amanda Cronin, a staffer in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “Environmental justice is truly about uplifting individuals, organizations and communities that experience environmental threats and disasters aggravated by the climate crisis.”

Cronin is one of roughly 450 EPA officials who were fired or reassigned by the Trump administration for working on environmental justice issues or diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“By cutting our office, they are directly harming their own voters,” she said. “Many people who voted for him and who support Republican members of Congress live in environmental justice communities and were either currently benefiting from or were about to benefit from the unprecedented grants our office provided.”

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

Despite this, the agency outlined a series of actions to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are synthetic chemicals used in everything from non-stick cookware to water-resistant clothing. These toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer and other serious health issues. PFAS have been detected in the blood of 97% of Americans.

“I have long been concerned about PFAS and the efforts to help states and communities dealing with legacy contamination in their backyards,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a statement.

The plan includes enhanced scientific testing, holding polluters financially accountable, and appointing a new official to oversee these PFAS efforts. However, the announcement lacked key details such as enforcement mechanisms or a timeline, adding to environmental advocates’ skepticism.

“I'm worried that it's a lot of talk without a lot of action,” said Corinne Bell, a senior attorney at the National Resources Defense Council. “I’d like to hear about how they plan on funding the plan they've released. What resources are they going to put behind creating additional science and testing methods? How will they ensure that drinking water plants have the money they need to install filtration?”

The same court filing that disclosed the number of canceled grants also noted that 377 grantees had already received termination notices.

“The EPA has already sent out formal notices to approximately 377 grantees,” Daniel Coogan, EPA deputy assistant administrator for infrastructure and extramural resources, said in the filing. “For the remaining approximately 404 grantees, EPA plans to issue notices within the next two weeks.”

The canceled grants were originally awarded under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act through the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program. The program aimed to fund community-driven projects tackling pollution and health disparities. Many of these grants could help the communities dealing with the legacy pollution that Zeldin promised to help.

The cuts are part of a broader effort by the Department of Government Efficiency( DOGE), led by Elon Musk, to eliminate what it calls ideologically driven federal spending.

Adding to advocates’ concerns about the Trump administration’s PFAS initiative: the administration has not committed to defending a major Biden-era PFAS drinking water regulation in court. Finalized in April 2024, the rule set enforceable limits on six PFAS compounds. Utility companies sued to block the rule, arguing they shouldn’t bear the financial burden of cleanup.

Court records show the EPA twice requested delays in the case while the administration decides whether to defend the rule.

“New EPA leadership is in the process of reviewing the PFAS drinking water rule and the issues presented in the litigation in the current case around it, and developing its position on how to proceed,” said the EPA press office in an email to Medill News Service.


Finya Swai is an energy and environment reporter for Medill News Service, covering Capitol Hill and the White House. She is also a graduate student at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, specializing in politics, policy and foreign affairs.

Read More

Donald Trump

President-elect Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Trump’s First 100 Days Changed the Game – the Next 1300 Could Change the Nation

The country has now witnessed and felt the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. These days were filled with unrelenting, fast-paced executive action. He signed a record-breaking number of executive orders, though many have been challenged and may be reversed. Working with Congress to pass legislation, though more difficult, leads to more enduring change and is less likely to be challenged in court. While certainly eventful, the jury is still out on how effective these first days have been. More importantly, the period of greater consequence - the months following the first 100 days, which should focus on implementation - will ultimately determine whether the president’s drastic changes can stand the test of time and have their desired impact on American society.

The first months of all Presidential terms include outlining a vision and using presidential influence to shift priorities and change governance structures. The media often focuses on polling and popularity, comparing previous presidents and highlighting public perception of the president's handling of specific issues like the economy, immigration, and national defense. Rasmussen Reports' daily Presidential Tracking Poll now shows 50 percent of likely voters approve of President Trump's job performance, but change has never been popular, and he is unapologetically pursuing it in these first months.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Spurs Brain Drain of International Talent

Close up of american visa label in passport.

Getty Images/Alexander W. Helin

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Spurs Brain Drain of International Talent

This article is part of a short series examining the Trump administration’s impact on international students in American higher education. This is the second and final installment of the series, which is focused on F1 student visa-to-citizenship pipelines.

The first part of the series, entitled “Legal Battles Continue for International Students With Pro-Palestinian Views,” was about ongoing litigation against the Trump administration for ideological deportations in higher education.

Keep ReadingShow less
Congress Bill Spotlight: No Invading Allies Act

United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

Getty Images, dcsliminky

Congress Bill Spotlight: No Invading Allies Act

The Fulcrum introduces Congress Bill Spotlight, a weekly report by Jesse Rifkin, focusing on the noteworthy legislation of the thousands introduced in Congress. Rifkin has written about Congress for years, and now he's dissecting the most interesting bills you need to know about, but that often don't get the right news coverage.

In response to Trump’s takeover threats, Canadian coffee shops and cafés are rebranding the Americano beverage as the “Canadiano.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Raising Taxes or Cutting Spending: House Budget Committee Argues Over Debt Crisis Fix

Republican and Democratic representatives discussed the fiscal state of the United State in a House Budget hearing on May 7, 2025

Huiyan Li | Medill News Service

Raising Taxes or Cutting Spending: House Budget Committee Argues Over Debt Crisis Fix

WASHINGTON –– Republicans and Democrats clashed on May 7 at a House Budget Committee hearing over how to address the nation’s mounting federal debt—whether to raise revenue through tax increases or cut spending on federal programs such as Medicaid.

Both parties agreed that the United States was on an unsustainable fiscal path and that urgent action is needed to prevent a debt crisis.

Keep ReadingShow less