"A D.C. federal District Court judge said the nonprofits must argue their case in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims." 

"Environmental justice nonprofits, local governments and Indigenous groups represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center filed notice on Tuesday that they will appeal a U.S. District Court judge’s dismissal of their case seeking to reverse the Trump administration’s decision to cancel the $3 billion Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program in February.

In the District of Columbia, Judge Richard Leon ruled in late August that he could not reinstate the grants, citing two recent Supreme Court decisions that grant terminations by the Trump administration must now be contested in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the venue for contract disputes with the federal government. 

“Judge Leon’s decision was on jurisdiction,” said Ben Grillot, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. “We disagree and believe that the district court does in fact have jurisdiction because this was a program-wide decision to terminate the entire Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program.”

Along with the SELC, the plaintiffs are also represented by Earthjustice, the Public Rights Project and Lawyers for Good Government."

Charles Paullin reports for Inside Climate News September 17, 2025. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"New Map Shows $29 Billion in Climate and Environment Grants Canceled or Frozen by Trump" (Inside Climate News) [3]