Low-income Wyoming households won’t see the $30 million federal dollars intended to help with electricity bills. That’s because the Trump administration plans to take back the Biden-era money.
The nationwide program was called ‘Solar for All’.
“Generally, rooftop solar has been available to the wealthiest,” said John Burrows, Wyoming Outdoor Council’s energy and climate policy director.
Burrows said the federal program would’ve helped low-income households and disadvantaged communities pay for rooftop solar installment, which can be tens of thousands of dollars. Generally, the federal government defines low-income as under 80% of the area median income.
“This is an example of a program that actually prioritizes those in the lower end of the income spectrum,” he said. “To give them that opportunity.”
That opportunity is lower electric bills from producing your own power, as utility electricity rates have been rising across the country. The Biden administration created the ‘Solar for All’ program as a way to help both with cost and reducing climate warming emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) program was relatively new, with funding announced for 60 awardees in April 2024. It was backed by $7 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act. Wyoming’s $30 million was earmarked for the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which would’ve worked with communities and tribes to bring rooftop solar to low-income homes.
The Wyoming project had yet to roll out and likely won’t now. The Trump administration announced plans to end ‘Solar for All’ in an Aug. 7 social media post. It’s unclear how and when that’ll happen.
“EPA no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin wrote in an ‘X’ post about ‘Solar for All’.
The Trump administration argues the recently passed ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ eliminates the pot of funding for the program.
But, much of those federal dollars had already been “obligated” to recipients, including Wyoming. That’s a legally significant stage in the federal award process.
“An obligation of funds is a legal liability to disburse funds immediately or at a later date as a result of a series of actions,” according to federal definition.
NPR reporting indicates some recipients are willing to fight the Trump administration in court over the money. Burrows, with the Wyoming Outdoor Council, said that is unfortunate.
“So money that would have been used for reducing electricity cost, now we're going to be looking at just drawn out, probably legal battles,” he said.
Bonneville Environmental Foundation didn’t respond to Wyoming Public Media’s question about whether they’re considering suing. However, the company said ending the ‘Solar for All’ grants “would waste the federal dollars already invested and deny Wyoming families and businesses the savings and benefits they were promised.”
As of now, the EPA’s ‘Solar for All’ informational webpage is still active.
