Environmental activists have raised alarms about the potential immediate and severe repercussions for Americans if this directive comes into effect.
“From the White House, this is a reckless stroke of a pen,” expressed Manish Bapna, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, in a statement. “On the ground, it translates to a frigid home amidst winter, a child going hungry in school, a family unable to afford rent, and increased utility costs for low-income households nationwide.”
The assortment of programs affected encompasses numerous initiatives across the Department of Homeland Security, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Samantha Montano, an assistant professor specializing in emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, indicated that the freeze on assistance could effectively halt the agency’s initiatives aimed at assisting state and local governments in disaster preparedness and recovery.
“It’s fair to assert that pausing all federal grants would unleash catastrophic consequences on the US emergency management framework,” she commented. “It would diminish our readiness for future disasters and complicate recovery efforts for disaster survivors trying to rebuild their lives.”
Montano emphasized that these offices address not only weather-related disasters.
“We are also dealing with issues concerning port security grants, terrorism, and cybersecurity,” she stated. “This jeopardizes national security when these grants are eliminated.”
Across the nation, state agencies and nonprofit organizations have already been excluded from a federal system that provides access to grant funds, said Maria Lopez-Nuñez, cofounder of Agency, an environmental justice advisory group. She noted a range of programs potentially impacted, from a North Carolina initiative designed to assist rural areas in gaining access to sewage and clean water to state government efforts for water pipe installation.
For many smaller nonprofits, delays in accessing federal grant funds could hinder their ability to cover payroll or finish their projects, she explained.
“They’re freezing critical grant funding that many states require for essential services,” stated Lopez-Nuñez, who was part of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council during the Biden administration.
In North Carolina, where communities are still recovering from Hurricane Helene, a representative from the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) indicated that the agency “is examining and assessing” the memo and its potential implications, adding, “Federal funds account for a substantial portion of DEQ’s operational budget, in addition to billions for communities in North Carolina.”
The guidance provided to agencies mentioned over 400 programs under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, covering emergency food assistance, support for farmers’ markets, and water conservation initiatives. Also included is one of the department’s largest, most effective programs, the Conservation Reserve Program.
Numerous legal experts have voiced doubts regarding the legality of suspending funds. While some assert that presidents may temporarily withhold spending under certain circumstances, others contend that the directives outlined in the memo clearly breach constitutional limitations.
“The law is clear: Congress governs federal spending, and no executive order can bypass this authority,” asserted Jillian Blanchard, director of climate change and environmental justice at Lawyers for Good Government, in a statement. “This order not only infringes on the Constitution but also endangers crucial programs and communities reliant on this funding, threatening hundreds of jobs nationwide.”
This directive arrives at a time when various scientific, environmental, and energy programs had already begun suspending their operations. On Monday, NPR reported that the National Science Foundation had canceled its grant review panels scheduled for the week. Multiple news outlets have indicated that the Department of Energy has paused billions of dollars in loans, grants, and other expenditures.
Inside Climate News reporters Georgina Gustin and Lisa Sorg contributed to this article.
