PA Environment Digest Blog: Gov. Shapiro Announced Federal Funds Identified In State Lawsuit Are No Longer Frozen - Mine Reclamation, Conventional Well Plugging, Water Infrastructure, More

On February 24, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced "every dollar" of the $2.1 billion in federal funds identified in a February 13 lawsuit against the federal government are no longer frozen.

The federal funding included money for reclaiming abandoned mine land, capping and plugging orphan wells, water infrastructure funding, the Solar for All Program, programs to lower greenhouse gas emissions, industrial decarbonization and improve energy efficiency.

[Editor's Note: This does not mean the risk to federal funding has ended to dozens of other federal programs that support state and local programs, projects and services. It only refers to the funds included in the lawsuit.]

Gov. Shapiro said in announcing the lawsuit-- “The federal government has entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, promising to provide billions of dollars in Congressionally-approved funding that we have committed to serious needs – like protecting public health, cutting energy costs, providing safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities.

“With this funding freeze, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract – and it’s my job as Governor to protect Pennsylvania’s interests.

"Over the past two weeks, my team and I have engaged with our Congressional delegation to try to restore access to all the federal funding Pennsylvania has been promised under law – but despite those efforts, state agencies remain unable to draw down these critical dollars.

"While multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding, access has not been restored, leaving my Administration with no choice but to pursue legal action to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents.”

The U.S. Constitution clearly states that federal agencies do not have the power to suspend states’ access to money that Congress appropriated or to impose new conditions on money already appropriated and obligated.

Click Here for a copy of the original lawsuit.

Click Here for video of the announcement [when posted].

NewsClips:

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Says Billions In Federal Funding Now Unfrozen

-- Inquirer: President Freezes National Park Money For Valley Forge Forest Management

-- WESA: Amid Frozen Forestry Funds, Pittsburgh’s Faith Leaders Called To Become Environmental Shepherds

-- Warren Times: USDA Confirms Layoffs Coming To Allegheny National Forest

-- Observer-Reporter: Former National Park Employees Weigh In On Firings

-- WESA: PA Education Dept. Considering Options ‘None Of Them Pretty’ If Federal Agency Axed

-- WITF: Hundreds Rally Against Cut In Refugee Funding To Church World Service In Lancaster: ‘A Moral Travesty’

Resource Links:

-- Gov. Shapiro Files Lawsuit Challenging President's Unconstitutional Federal Funding Freeze In Order to Protect PA Interests; Mine Reclamation, Conventional Well Plugging, Many Other Funds At Risk [PaEN]