WASHINGTON D.C. (KEYT) – On Wednesday, members of the California congressional delegation announced that a federal watchdog has agreed to investigate billions in federal energy investments selectively terminated by the Trump Administration earlier this year.
"[T]he Office of Inspector General recently announced an audit which will review the Department of Energy’s processes when cancelling financial assistance and whether those cancellations were in accordance with established criteria," read a letter from Sarah Nelson with the U.S. Department of Energy. "This work will help ensure that these activities are conducted consistently with applicable laws, regulations, and Departmental policies and procedures."
The $7.6 billion in grants were authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which was signed into law in 2021.
"Donald Trump and his administration have launched an unlawful campaign of vengeance toward California, and their illegal cancellation of 79 energy grants to California was the latest example," said Senator Adam Schiff, one of 30 members of Congress who requested the restoration of funding in October. "I’m pleased to see that at our request, the Energy Department’s acting Inspector General is opening an investigation into this clear political targeting, which the Trump administration has openly admitted in court was intended to punish blue states."
In May of this year, Secretary Wright issued a Secretarial Memorandum that required all financial awards through the federal agency to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to, "identify waste, safeguard taxpayer dollars, protect America's national security, and advance President Trump's commitment to deliver affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people."
"On day one, the Energy Department began the critical task of reviewing billions of dollars in financial awards, many rushed through in the final months of the Biden administration with inadequate documentation by any reasonable business standard," Secretary of Energy Chris Wright argued regarding the terminated funding. "President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars and expand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Today’s cancellation’s deliver on that commitment."
On Oct. 1, the Trump Administration's Budget Director, Russell Vought announced on X/Twitter that Department of Energy projects in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington would be terminated.
Each one of the states slated for feder