Baltimore Attorney General Challenges Federal Funding Cuts
BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has thrown his support behind a coalition of 13 attorneys general in a lawsuit opposing the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for energy and infrastructure programs established by Congress. These programs, which emerged from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are critical to state-level energy initiatives. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, targets the actions of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in discontinuing billions of dollars in awards.
“Energy and infrastructure programs are putting Marylanders to work, cutting families’ energy costs, and protecting our climate,” said Attorney General Brown. “We’re taking the Administration to court because these unlawful cuts threaten the clean energy future that our children and grandchildren deserve.”
On his first day in office, January 20th, 2025, President Trump declared a “national energy emergency” and moved to terminate energy initiatives aligned with the “Green New Deal.” The DOE subsequently identified billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects to withdraw support from, following an executive order aimed at curtailing programs legislated by Congress. By May 2025, the DOE had issued a memorandum outlining a review process for funded projects, effectively setting the stage for the termination of these programs.
As the threat of a government shutdown loomed in September 2025, President Trump stated he could “do things during the shutdown that are irreversible” to impact Democratic initiatives, including the potential withdrawal of favored programs. The following day, OMB Director Russell Vought announced on X that the DOE would terminate nearly $8 billion in funding for what he termed the “Green New Scam,” affecting projects primarily in Democratic-leaning states. The DOE confirmed these cuts, citing their earlier policy memorandum.
In Maryland, the DOE has ended three cooperative agreements worth over $5.8 million with the University of Maryland, College Park. These agreements were aimed at advancing research into heat pump and refrigeration technologies that promote energy efficiency, which translates into lower energy costs and improved environmental health for Maryland residents.
The lawsuit contends that the Trump administration’s actions violate statutory obligations and the Administrative Procedure Act, arguing that federal agencies must implement the laws passed by Congress. The coalition of states, led by Maryland, seeks a court ruling to prohibit the administration from further disrupting these congressionally mandated programs.
Attorney General Brown is joined in this legal action by his counterparts from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Original Story at oag.maryland.gov