Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul

Chicago – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a multistate lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for illegally ending a $7 billion program to bring solar energy to more than 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the country.

Congress created the Solar for All program in 2022 to offer grants for solar projects in low-income and disadvantaged areas, including a $156 million grant to Illinois.

The EPA abruptly and unlawfully terminated the program two months ago and clawed back most of the money already awarded. In Illinois alone, those funds would have helped an estimated 4,000 to 5,300 low-income households each save thousands of dollars by switching to clean energy.

“The Solar for All program reduces energy costs and pollution by bringing renewable power to low-income consumers, in Illinois and across the country,” Raoul said. “I remain committed to fighting back against yet another overreach by this administration, and I will continue to advocate for cleaner, more affordable energy.”

When President Trump took office this past January, he prioritized fossil fuel extraction to address an alleged “energy emergency,” while arbitrarily excluding solar power as a source to help meet the country’s energy needs. In July, Congress passed the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” rescinding funds for the Solar for All program — but only funds that were not already awarded. Instead of following that law, the EPA and Zeldin illegally terminated the entire program in August, including grants already awarded to Illinois and the other plaintiffs, which Congress specifically exempted.

Raoul and the multistate coalition are filing a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleging, among other things, that the EPA violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution’s Separation of Powers Doctrine in unlawfully canceling the program.

Joining Raoul in filing the complaint are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Also joining the complaint are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Separately, Raoul joined a lawsuit yesterday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. In that complaint, the states and other entities argue that the EPA breached the clear terms of the agreements and violated the duty of good faith and fair dealing in canceling Solar for All grants. They’re asking the court to award the plaintiffs money damages, interest and fees.

Raoul was joined in filing this lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Also joining the complaint were the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.