CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Aug 7, 2025)—Recent reporting reveals the Trump administration will attempt to claw back some portion of the $7 billion in awarded grants that support making solar energy more affordable for nearly 1 million low- and moderate-income families. The Solar for All program, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), represents the latest target in a series of attacks by the Trump administration on initiatives intended to expand affordable clean energy options.
The Biden administration created the program to help people harness solar energy in their homes and communities while saving close to $400 per year on household electricity bills. This 20% savings on average was projected to amount to more than $350 million nationwide in annual utility costs reductions. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) provided input on the design and implementation of Solar for All programs in Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan to ensure that low-income households and disinvested communities could maximize energy bill savings, economic development, emission reductions, public health benefits and more reliable energy infrastructure through the federal program.
Below is a statement by Jeff Deyette, a deputy director of the Climate and Energy program at UCS.
“President Trump’s commitment to lowering energy bills clearly falls below fealty to fossil fuel interests on his priority list for the country. The Solar for All program is a crucial tool created to assist low-income families burdened by high energy costs that often have to choose between paying their electricity bills or paying for food, medical expenses and other necessities.
“While Pres. Trump preaches the imperative of energy independence, he’s actively pushing communities around the country deeper into a fossil fuel dependency that’s costlier, dirtier and less reliable than readily available clean energy solutions. The price tag of this program pales in comparison to the tens of billions of dollars in fossil fuel handouts taxpayers are being forced to fund in the 2026 congressional budget bill.
“Once again, Pres. Trump is favoring big polluters over the public interest. This backtracking must be challenged in court to deliver congressionally obligated funding to the communities that need it most.”