Trump tried to kill ‘Solar for All’ program. A RI judge says that was illegal.

• A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the Trump administration’s termination of the Solar for All program was unlawful.
• The $7 billion program, created under the Biden administration, was designed to help low-income families access solar energy.
• The lawsuit was filed by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and others after the EPA ended the program, which had allocated $49 million to the state.
• The EPA is currently reviewing the court’s decision and considering its options for an appeal.

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ruled against the Trump administration and concluded that the termination of a solar energy program aimed at helping low-income Americans was unlawful.

Judge Mary S. McElroy, of U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, in a decision released Sept. 18, granted a motion filed by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, the Rhode Island Center for Justice and other plaintiffs to overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision last year to end the $7 billion Solar for All program.

Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, applauded the decision.

“This is a major victory for Rhode Island’s effort to decarbonize our economy,” he said. “We are proud to be the lead plaintiff in this case and look forward to working with the State to implement the program.”

The EPA said it “is reviewing the decision and considering options for appeal.”

How did we get here?

The lawsuit is one of several that were filed against the federal government over its decision to cancel Solar for All, which was created during the Biden administration with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. The program was expected to help 900,000 families nationwide, generate 200,000 jobs, and lead to $8 billion in energy savings.

The money was to be used to make it possible for low-income residents to access renewable energy, which can lead to bill savings over time but often comes with high up-front costs. The EPA at the time estimated that the program would help save a qualifying household $400 a year on electricity.

Rhode Island’s allocation of the funding was $49 million. The Rhode Island AFL-CIO said it was counting on the money to expand solar investments in the state and create new jobs in the industry. It and the Rhode Island Center for Justice were coalition partners on the state’s application for the grant and signed a memorandum of agreement with state agencies to carry it out.

The money was awarded in April 2024 and the EPA entered agreements with the 60 funding recipients before Joseph Biden left office. The funds were to be available for five years.

When President Trump started his second term he signed an executive order aimed at cutting off funding for renewable energy and climate programs. Solar for All was one of the initiatives that was targeted.

After being challenged in court, the program was restored, but only temporarily. After further developments in Congress and the courts, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced on X that he was ending Solar for All “for good,” calling the program a “boondoggle.”

The suit filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island followed.

The Rhode Island Center for Justice said it “pursued Solar for All as a long-term way to reduce electricity bills and help families avoid recurring unpaid balances and disconnection threats.”

“Our low-income clients continue to face ever-escalating housing and utility costs,” executive director Jennifer Wood said. “This is a major step toward restoring an important path to utility affordability for Rhode Islanders struggling to afford stable housing and access to utilities.”