The promises of the Inflation Reduction Act, the law that was supposed to provide protections to address the climate crisis, reform the healthcare system, and make the tax system more equitable, are at risk of disappearing into political paralysis.
More than 22 Native tribes, from Alaska to Oregon, have seen 350 million dollars in federal funds earmarked for vital environmental and infrastructure activities frozen. These funds were designated for safe and sustainable housing, evacuation centers, and flood protection measures.
The funding, allocated under the Biden administration through the Environmental Protection Agency EPA, was blocked by new Republican regulations. In some cases, projects had already begun, such as in Tyonek, a village only accessible by plane or barge, where homes contaminated with lead and asbestos were set to be replaced.
Vide Kroto, director of the Tebughna Foundation, a nonprofit organization that assists Indigenous communities, explained that the community had been excited about the grant, as it would have literally changed the lives of many people. However, after initial reassurances, everything stopped. On March 7, Kroto discovered that the status of the grant was listed as “suspended” in the federal payment system, ASAP. There was no official communication just a sudden silence.
This is not an isolated case. Tribal organizations across the country found their funds blocked or missing. In many cases, the revelation came simply by accessing the payment portal, with no prior notice or explanation.
According to a former EPA consultant, Zealand Hoover, the system was not designed to manage continuous freezes on hundreds of grants. He pointed out that it was never meant for this purpose and now leaves hundreds of communities in the dark.
One of the projects at risk was that of the Native Village of Kipnuk in western Alaska, where climate change has accelerated riverbank erosion. The area loses between 10 and 30 feet of land each year, and the promised 20 million dollars were crucial to stabilize the riverbanks before the river swallowed homes and infrastructure. Rayna Paul, the village’s environmental director, emphasized that time was of the essence. She said that they had a narrow window to build, and a delay of another year might prevent the project from being completed.
In Grand Ronde, Oregon, local tribes had secured 20 million dollars to build an evacuation center in case of wildfires. The plan is now stalled in the design phase, with the risk that the delays could ultimately jeopardize the entire initiative.
Meanwhile, the EPA, led by Lee Zeldin, explained in an email that every single grant is subject to review to ensure that state funds are spent in accordance with the new administration’s priorities.
However, for those living in remote and vulnerable communities, this review results in uncertainty. In Tyonek, energy costs have skyrocketed, ranging from 300 to 800 dollars per month, and many families rely on coal gathered from the beach to heat their homes despite the health risks. The homes are outdated and often unable to withstand extreme weather conditions, and the youth grow up with the desire to return and help their families.
Gussie Lord, a lawyer at Earthjustice, an organization specializing in environmental law, stated that the cuts were particularly damaging to those in greatest need, especially in rural areas where other sources of support are lacking.
