Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced the cancellation of 21 grants related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental Justice. This decision reportedly saved $67 million with assistance from the EPA's Division of Grants and Enterprise (DOGE) team. Zeldin made this announcement in a post on X dated February 22.
"I just cancelled another 21 wasteful DEI and Environmental Justice grants, with the help of our amazing @DOGE team, racking up $67M more in savings," said Zeldin, EPA Administrator.
According to the New York Post, these cancellations affected over $67 million in grants intended for environmental justice programs. The funds were primarily awarded to left-leaning nonprofits and universities. Among those impacted was the Vermont-based Institute of Sustainable Communities, which lost $12.4 million of its remaining $16 million in grants. Other organizations affected include San Diego State University Foundation, the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, and the Minneapolis Foundation.
Screenshot of X Post
| X
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, commented on these cuts by saying they are "pulling off the scab of how the left has been funding itself," as reported by the New York Post.
The DOGE's efforts have resulted in total savings of $65 billion since its inception, according to DOGE.com. These savings have been achieved through various measures such as fraud elimination, contract and lease cancellations or renegotiations, asset sales, grant terminations, workforce reductions, program adjustments, and regulatory efficiencies. Efforts are being made to present this data transparently while ensuring compliance with applicable rules.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), established in 1970, is a federal agency tasked with protecting human health and the environment through regulations, enforcement actions, and environmental programs.
