Investigation: EPA’s ‘Environmental Justice’ Grants Used As Slush Funds

The Biden administration has prioritized “environmental justice,” a nebulous term embraced by leftist activists who insist man-caused climate change requires drastic and expensive government intervention.

Waste in Joe Biden’s “infrastructure” bill:

Civilian Climate Corp —> $10 BILLION
Environmental Justice —> $20 BILLION
Electric Vehicles —> $175 BILLION

How does this Build Back Better?

— Max Miller (@MaxMillerOH) September 30, 2021

As part of a bloated COVID-19 relief plan, the White House approved millions of taxpayer dollars to be used for the advancement of such causes — but a recent probe found much of that money had been misappropriated by those entrusted to distribute it appropriately.

Congressional documents compiled by the Senate Budget Committee’s GOP minority staff concluded that money was used to buy high-end boots, fund vacations, provide catered meals and more benefiting the staff and leaders of various environmental activist groups.

For example, more than 90% of the funds collected by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation went toward staffing costs, which included travel and related expenses.

Funds were also used for projects of questionable merit, including the production of a rap song targeted toward elementary students. 

The committee’s top Republican, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, expressed sympathy for the underlying environmental cause, but issued a harsh rebuke of the waste outlined in his staff’s report.

“Climate change poses real challenges, but the EPA’s effort to address climate issues through its 2021 environmental justice program don’t pass the smell test,” he said. “Obvious abuse of taxpayer dollars and faulty EPA oversight of grantees raise major concerns for this program and cast doubt on the agency’s fiscal responsibility.”

Although the EPA issued a statement touting the supposed benefits of these grants, Grassley remained adamant that the agency must re-evaluate how funds are distributed and tracked.

“The EPA needs to correct course and explain to the American people how it plans to appropriately oversee and administer millions of taxpayer dollars going forward,” he declared.

President Joe Biden established a White House Office of Environmental Justice last year and, as in many other public statements, used a ceremony in April to attack Republicans who did not support his leftist climate agenda.

“The MAGA Republicans in Congress want to repeal climate protections in the Inflation Reduction Act,” he complained. “They’d rather threaten to default the U.S. economy … than get rid of $30 billion in taxpayer subsidies to an oil industry that made $200 billion last year. Imagine taking all those clean energy jobs away from working-class folks all across America. Imagine turning your back on all those moms and dads living in towns poisoned by pollution and saying, ‘Sorry, you’re on your own.’”