A federal judge has vacated the Environmental Protection Agency’s cancellation of Solar for All, the $7 billion federal program under which Harris County was awarded $250 million to help low income households install rooftop and community solar.
U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, ruled on September 18 that the EPA’s termination of the program violated the Administrative Procedure Act, and ordered the cancellation set aside. Harris County was among the plaintiffs, alongside a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia and several nonprofit groups. The county filed its own suit against the agency in February after the EPA rescinded the funds.
Solar for All was created under the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in the 2022 federal climate law. The EPA has said it is reviewing the decision and considering options for an appeal, and no appeal had been filed as of this week.
The ruling matters here because Harris County administers the Texas share of the program, and the county line takes in Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Huffman, Summerwood and Fall Creek along with the rest of the Lake Houston area.
The ruling was reported by KPRC 2 Click2Houston and by Smart Cities Dive.
