Open Data Initiative

California Connections to 2024 EPA Funding

The Biden administration's $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grants, particularly the $20 billion allocated to eight nonprofits, have drawn scrutiny for their rapid distribution and potential conflicts of interest. Several California-based organizations are directly or indirectly linked to these grants, either as recipients, partners, or through leadership roles.

In summary, California serves as a critical hub for GGRF-funded projects, with organizations like Climate United, Rewiring America, and Power Forward Communities actively implementing initiatives.

California-Based Groups Connected to EPA Grant Recipients

California-Based Group Connected To Grant Amount Nature of Connection Timeline
Forum Mobility Climate United Fund Part of $6.97 billion Received $250 million to deploy 500 electric drayage trucks at Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles After August 16, 2024 (when funds were obligated)
Rewiring America API Power Forward Communities Part of $2 billion Developed tools to help Californians access incentives for electric upgrades After August 16, 2024
San Diego Foundation EPA direct funding Unspecified Received funding for community-scale climate justice projects in San Diego After April 2024 announcement
Environmental Health Coalition EPA direct funding Unspecified Received funding for community-scale climate justice projects in San Diego After April 2024 announcement
City of Bakersfield EPA direct funding Unspecified Awarded grants for pollution reduction and climate resilience initiatives After April 2024 announcement
Building Healthy Communities Kern EPA direct funding Unspecified Awarded grants for pollution reduction and climate resilience initiatives After April 2024 announcement
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Coalition for Responsible Community Development Unspecified Partnership for implementing grant-funded programs After August 16, 2024
Day One Unspecified recipient Unspecified Implementation of grant-funded programs After April 2024 announcement
Active SGV (San Gabriel Valley) Unspecified recipient Unspecified Implementation of grant-funded programs After April 2024 announcement

Direct Recipients and Partners in California

Climate United Fund

  • Grant Amount: $6.97 billion (part of the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund)[6][7][13].
  • California Connection:
    • Launched a $250 million program with Forum Mobility to deploy 500 electric drayage trucks at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, aiming to reduce pollution in port communities[14].
    • Focuses on low-income and disadvantaged communities, aligning with EPA's Justice40 initiative[6][13].
  • Key Partners: Works with Calvert Impact Capital, Community Preservation Corporation, and Self-Help Credit Union[6][13].

Power Forward Communities

  • Grant Amount: $2 billion[5].
  • California Connection:
    • Partnered with Rewiring America, a nonprofit focused on electrification, which has developed tools like the Rewiring America API to help Californians access incentives for electric upgrades[4].
    • Targets residential decarbonization in low-income communities, including California[5].

Coalition for Green Capital (CGC)

  • Grant Amount: $5 billion[3][12][19].
  • California Connection:
    • Plans to use GGRF funding to establish a national green bank, with projects targeting low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs) in California and nationwide[3][12].

EPA's California-Specific Grants

  • San Diego Foundation and Environmental Health Coalition: Received funding for community-scale climate justice projects in San Diego[1].
  • City of Bakersfield and Building Healthy Communities Kern: Awarded grants for pollution reduction and climate resilience initiatives[1].
  • Rewiring America: Collaborated with Power Forward Communities to promote electrification in California, though not a direct grantee[4][5].

California-Based Partners and Implementers

  • Forum Mobility: Partnered with Climate United for the electric truck initiative at LA/Long Beach ports[14].
  • Rewiring America: Provides data tools (e.g., Rewiring America API) to Californians for electrification incentives[4].
  • Local Governments and NGOs:
    • Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (partnered with Coalition for Responsible Community Development)[1].
    • Day One and Active SGV (San Gabriel Valley-based groups)[1].

** Timeline of Key Events**

Date Event California Impact
April 2024 Biden administration announces $27 billion GGRF grants. California groups like Climate United, Power Forward Communities begin planning projects.
August 16, 2024 $20 billion obligated to nonprofits, including CGC and Climate United. Funds start flowing to California partners (e.g., Forum Mobility).
December 2024 Citibank arrangement signed, moving funds away from Treasury oversight. California-based projects (e.g., electric trucks) proceed without direct EPA control.
March 12, 2025 EPA Administrator Zeldin moves to terminate grants. California grantees face uncertainty; lawsuits filed to block termination.

Sources

  1. Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $100 Million in Seven ... https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-100-million-seven-california-environmental
  2. Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $13 Million in ... https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-13-million-california-environmental-justice
  3. Coalition for Green Capital: Home https://coalitionforgreencapital.com
  4. Rewiring America | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/rewiring-america
  5. Power Forward Communities - InfluenceWatch https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/power-forward-communities/
  6. Climate United Fund - InfluenceWatch.org https://www.influencewatch.org/organization/climate-united-fund/
  7. Climate United Submits Bid to Manage Part of EPA's$14 Billion ... https://communityp.com/news-cpc/climate-united-submits-bid-to-manage-part-of-epas14-billion-national-clean-investment-fund/
  8. Climate United Submits Bid to Manage Part of EPA's $14 billion ... https://weareclimateunited.org/news/climate-united-submits-bid-to-manage-part-of-epas-usd14-billion-national
  9. EPA Announces Leadership and Next Steps for the Greenhouse ... https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-leadership-and-next-steps-greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund
  10. California to Receive Nearly $1.2 Million from EPA to Help ... https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/california-receive-nearly-12-million-epa-help-businesses-prevent-pollution
  11. With Trump's War on DEI, Local Environmental Organizations ... https://baynature.org/article/with-trumps-war-on-dei-local-environmental-organizations-rethink-diversity-commitments/
  12. [PDF] CGC Narrative Proposal - Environmental Protection Agency https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/cgc_narrative_proposal1_0.pdf
  13. About Climate United https://weareclimateunited.org/about-us
  14. Woman-Led Climate United Launches $250 Million Zero-Emission ... https://www.latimes.com/b2b/business-visionaries/inspirational-women/story/woman-led-climate-united-launches-zero-emission-truck-la-ports
  15. Contact Us - U.S. Climate Alliance https://usclimatealliance.org/about/contact-us/
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  19. 'Serious Conflicts of Interest': Biden EPA Official Oversaw $5B Grant ... https://freebeacon.com/energy/activist-slush-fund-biden-epa-official-steered-5b-to-his-former-employer/
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  22. Power Forward Communities https://powerforwardcommunities.org
  23. Padilla Announces Over $216 Million for California From ... https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-announces-over-216-million-for-california-from-environmental-and-climate-justice-community-change-grants/
  24. Trump Admin Terminates $20B in Biden Climate Funding Over ... https://freebeacon.com/energy/trump-admin-terminates-20b-in-biden-climate-funding-over-fraud-waste-and-abuse-concerns/
  25. Coalition for Green Capital | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/coalition-for-green-capital
  26. About us - Rewiring America https://www.rewiringamerica.org/about-us
  27. Power Forward Communities - Local Initiatives Support Corporation https://www.lisc.org/special-initiatives/power-forward-communities/
  28. U.S. EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/es/node/29016/about
  29. California Environmental Voters | Solving the Climate Crisis https://envirovoters.org
  30. Coalition for Green Capital - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_for_Green_Capital
  31. [PDF] Rewiring America Recommendations re IRA Rebates https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=251633&DocumentContentId=86530
  32. [PDF] Over $100 Million Will Be Invested in Rural Communities - Storyblok https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1014573/x/0f93107325/pfc-press-release-announcement_022425.pdf
  33. Climate United NEXT Program https://weareclimateunited.org/next-program
  34. Our Impact - Climate United https://weareclimateunited.org/our-impact
  35. Climate United Launches Historic $250M Electric Drayage Truck ... https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/climate-united-launches-historic-250m-electric-drayage-truck-program-to-provide-affordable-accessible-financing-for-zero-emission-vehicles-302289291.html
  36. Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation - CA.gov https://lci.ca.gov
  37. Clean energy group sues Trump admin for freezing funds ... - CNN https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/climate/climate-united-lawsuit-citibank-epa/index.html
  38. Climate United Announces Inaugural Board of Directors https://members.aacuc.org/news-releases/Details/climate-united-announces-inaugural-board-of-directors-189745
  39. National Clean Investment Fund | US EPA https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/national-clean-investment-fund
  40. Climate United Launches Historic $250M Electric Drayage Truck ... https://weareclimateunited.org/news/electric-drayage-truck-program-announcement
  41. How Citibank got caught in a $20B climate fight - Grist.org https://grist.org/politics/trump-zeldin-epa-citi-greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/
  42. Climate United | Self-Help Federal Credit Union https://www.self-helpfcu.org/what-we-do/we-lend/for-the-environment/climate-united
  43. California Climate Investments https://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov
  44. Climate United Sues E.P.A. Over Frozen $20 Billion https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/08/climate/epa-climate-funds-lawsuit.html
  45. Jahi Wise on LinkedIn: Last month marked the end of my time with ... https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jahiwise_last-month-marked-the-end-of-my-time-with-activity-7239603655094546432-l-Qo
  46. Jahi Wise on LinkedIn: EPA Announces Opening for Permanent ... https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jahiwise_epa-announces-opening-for-permanent-director-activity-7070006090419068928-hhQa
  47. Meet Jahi Wise, EPA's new rainmaker - E&E News by POLITICO https://www.eenews.net/articles/meet-jahi-wise-epas-new-rainmaker/
  48. EPA Taps White House Climate Official for Greenhouse Gas Program https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/epa-taps-white-house-climate-official-for-greenhouse-gas-program
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  50. How the EPA will spend $27 billion in carbon-reduction funds - Volts https://www.volts.wtf/p/how-the-epa-will-spend-27-billion