Trump admin threatening 'clean energy' and 'modernization' programs with new policy, states say
Source: msn/Law & Crime
12h
A coalition of states is suing the Trump administration for placing caps on federal reimbursements for a bevy of energy programs. On May 8, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued a "Policy Flash" that established "a maximum allowable dollar amount (stated in terms of a percentage of the total project award amount) that it will reimburse for allowable, allocable, and reasonable indirect costs."
The memorandum further went on to advise states and municipalities that the specific reimbursement "maximum percentage is 10 percent" and "inclusive of total indirect costs and fringe benefit costs." Buried under the bureaucratese, the plaintiffs states say, is an attack on "vital" state-run programs – one that is likely to raise costs for consumers in the states affected by the new policy. On Friday, in a 38-page lawsuit, 19 states and the District of Columbia, asked a federal judge in Oregon to vacate the policy, declare it "unlawful," and enjoin its application.
The plaintiffs, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, say the litigation is necessary because the DOE awards provide the states "with key services and programs" and the new policy will "unlawfully limit" those awards to the detriment of renewable energy initiatives.
In real terms, basic administrative or staffing costs needed to run federally funded programs are known as "indirect" costs; employee benefits for program staff are known as "fringe" costs. "Because indirect and fringe costs awarded by the DOE to Plaintiff States fund crucial work like supporting energy security, lowering energy costs, reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and enabling the transition to clean energy sources, Plaintiffs bring this action to protect their states and institutions from DOE's unlawful policy," the lawsuit reads.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/unlawful-unjustified-and-disruptive-trump-admin-threatening-clean-energy-and-modernization-programs-with-new-policy-states-say/ar-AA1KEr53
Full headline: 'Unlawful, unjustified, and disruptive': Trump admin threatening 'clean energy' and 'modernization' programs with new policy, states say
Link to SUIT (PDF viewer) - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26053001-ny-v-doe-complaint/
Link to SUIT (PDF) - https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26053001/ny-v-doe-complaint.pdf
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