WA AG sues Trump administration for over $9M in climate change funding cuts

Washington’s Attorney General, Nick Brown, filed a lawsuit Friday against the Trump administration for withholding more than $9 million in funding to help protect Washington from climate change impacts, the Office of the Attorney General announced.

The lawsuit claims the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) illegally terminated grants that supported programs, including the Tribal Stewards initiative and coastal hazard mitigation efforts.

WA AG Brown sues Trump Admin. for climate change funding cuts

The changing climate has increased the severity of life-threatening hazards, including heatwaves, wildfires, drought, and flooding, Brown’s release stated. The release also noted slower-paced changes such as sea level rise, ocean acidification, and loss of mountain snowpack.

NOAA announced two climate-focused funding opportunities in 2022 and 2023, which awarded funding to Washington through both programs. The programs emphasized equity, inclusion, and engagement with historically underrepresented communities, which are disproportionately exposed to climate change effects.

On May 5, NOAA terminated both funding awards, claiming the programs were inconsistent with the president’s new priorities. Brown stated the withheld funds have an impact on Washington, which jeopardizes jobs and threatens to undermine the state’s climate resilience strategy.

“Climate change is here, and Washington communities need to prepare and build resilience,” Brown said. “The federal government promised funding to help local communities adapt, and we’re holding them to it.”

Tribal Stewards Program

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) Tribal Stewards Program was one of the projects targeted. NOAA awarded the program $9.3 million in 2024 to develop a network of Washington colleges, tribes, and employers.

The network would educate 2,130 students in wildlife biology, environmental science, and other natural resource degrees with a focus on climate resilience.

“NOAA’s decision to abruptly stop funding Washington’s Tribal Stewards Program directly impacts future workers who want to start work in well-paying climate resilience jobs and employers in these in-demand fields,” Nate Humphrey, SBCTC executive director, said.

The release stated 11 employers had committed to hiring Tribal Stewards graduates who would have filled positions in “economically depressed” regions within Washington.

Advancing an Equitable Framework for Coastal Resilience

A Department of Ecology project titled Advancing an Equitable Framework for Coastal Resilience was also targeted by the cuts. NOAA awarded the project $250,000 in 2023 to reduce environmental and health disparities. The funding would support local efforts that addressed coastal hazards.

NOAA is withholding approximately $114,000 of the funds, leaving Washington coastal communities vulnerable to flooding and erosion, the release stated.

The lawsuit argues NOAA’s actions are unconstitutional due to violating the Spending Clause and foundational separation of powers principles. The court is being asked to determine if the agency’s actions were unlawful and unconstitutional, and ultimately reverse the terminations if deemed unconstitutional.

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