North Carolina sues EPA over canceled $150 million solar program for rural communities

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A little bit of relief may soon be coming to some rural western North Carolina families just struggling to get by.

The state’s attorney general is now suing the Environmental Protection Agency for $150 million originally meant to help N.C. families with their utility bills, before the federal agency canceled the program.

“The EPA was supposed to give it to us. At the last minute, they canceled it. I think it’s a pretty straightforward violation of the law, so we’re going to take them to court. I think we have a very good chance of winning,” North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said.

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The funds would have helped some 12,000 rural and low-income families in the state, saving them an average of 20% on their utility bills by installing rooftop solar panels on their homes for free.

Jackson said the EPA originally promised this money before the agency canceled the program.

If the state wins, North Carolinians wouldn’t just save on utility costs, but the next time a natural disaster strikes, households with solar panels won’t be stuck in the dark.

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“WNC taught us all a big lesson: that in the aftermath of a storm, you could be knocked off the grid for days or weeks. It’s really important to have a backup option,” Jackson said. “Particularly for folks in WNC, these days, whether or not the federal government is going to keep its word to you is extremely important.”

North Carolina joins nearly two dozen other states in this lawsuit, fighting to win back a total of $7 billion from the EPA.