A legal confrontation has emerged involving Democratic attorneys general from 13 states, who have sued the U.S. Department of Energy. The lawsuit challenges the termination of $2.7 billion in federal funding allocated for energy and infrastructure programs.
The legal action, filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, argues that the funding was authorized by bipartisan support in Congress. It claims the Trump administration’s decision to revoke the funding violates the constitutional separation of powers, which grants Congress control over financial appropriations.
California, Colorado, and Washington state’s attorneys general are leading the lawsuit, with Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin as additional plaintiffs. Defendants include the U.S. Department of Energy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, the Office of Management and Budget, and OMB Director Russell Vought.
In California, the termination affects $1.2 billion allotted for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems and $4 million for the Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation program.
“The president doesn’t just get to cancel them because he disagrees with them,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated during a virtual press conference alongside Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Requests for comments from the White House and the U.S. Department of Energy went unanswered by The Center Square before publication. The Trump administration has described clean energy grants as a “green new scam” that do not fulfill economic or clean energy objectives.
The lawsuit highlights an executive order from Republican President Donald Trump, entitled “Unleashing American Energy”, issued on January 20, 2025. The order criticizes regulations that allegedly hinder energy and natural resource development and increase costs in various sectors. It instructed agencies to halt funding distribution from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Accusations in the lawsuit claim the Trump administration, through the Department of Energy and the Office of Management and Budget, cut programs established by these laws. The Department of Energy reportedly released a list in March detailing projects to be ended, which was later expanded in October.
“In our constitutional system, only Congress has the power to appropriate funding, and to define if and how federal programs are administered,” the lawsuit asserts.
Weiser accused the Trump administration of selectively denying funds to states based on political motivations. “Federal funding can’t be terminated to punish states or score political points,” Bonta emphasized.
Bonta further warned that the funding cuts could jeopardize over 200,000 union jobs in California and lead to higher energy prices. “California believes in innovation and clean energy,” he added. “We won’t stand by while lawful funding is stripped away.”
Weiser criticized the administration for treating states differently based on political affiliations, stating, “We don’t live in the Blue States of America or the Red States of America. We live in the United States of America.”
Bonta and Weiser addressed questions from The Center Square regarding their ongoing litigation against the Trump administration. Weiser accused the administration of making arbitrary decisions in violation of the federal Administrative Procedure Act, citing the blocking of $300 million intended for Colorado State University’s methane emission research as lacking justification.
Bonta mentioned that the federal funding for California includes hydrogen plant projects, which are crucial for the state’s energy infrastructure.
Both attorneys general noted the financial benefits of their legal actions, with Bonta claiming a return of nearly $10,000 for every dollar spent on lawsuits against Trump. California has reportedly safeguarded $200 billion through such efforts, having invested $19 million in legal battles.
Weiser shared that his office received an additional $600,000 for litigation, securing $1 billion in federal funding as a result.
The recent lawsuit marks the 58th filed by California against the Trump administration since his second term began in January 2025. Colorado has initiated 54 lawsuits in the same timeframe.
Bonta noted that during Trump’s first term, California filed 120 lawsuits, with projections indicating a potential doubling in the current term. Weiser, having assumed office in 2019, has filed 19 lawsuits during Trump’s first term and triple that number since January 2025.
Under previous administrations, California rarely pursued legal action against the federal government, Bonta observed.
Original Story at www.deltanews.tv