The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) applied for the program and was awarded $156,120,000 on September 1, 2024. The state planned to use the funds to provide financial assistance, technical support, and workforce development for solar initiatives. 

In July 2025, President Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (also referred to as the Working Families Tax Cut), a legislative package that rescinded "unobligated balances" from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

On August 7, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the termination of the Solar for All grants. The EPA argued that the July 2025 law stripped the agency of both the statutory authority to administer the program and the appropriated funds. Zeldin characterized the program as a mismanaged "boondoggle" that was "throwing gold bars off the Titanic,"  and asserted the retroactive cancellation was necessary to remain aligned with the new congressional mandate. Meanwhile, the U.S. was ostensibly suffering an "energy crisis." 

On October 15, 2025, 24 complainants who won and executed competitive grant agreements for Solar for All funding–including energy and economic development offices of 23 States and the District of Columbia–filed Maryland Clean Energy Center, et al. v. United States of America in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The complaint alleged breach of contracts and breach of good faith and fair dealing under the Tucker Act. 

On October 16, 2025, 23 complainants representing their citizens regarding Solar for All funding–including Attorneys General and Governor’s Chief Legal Counsels for 22 States and the District of Columbia–filed State of Arizona, et al. v. EPA in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The complaint alleged violations of the Administrative Procedures Act,  the ultra vires doctrine, and the US Constitution. 

Notably, NO Republican AGs found it was in the Public Interest to protected contractually obligated funds, or that the retroactive clawback of obligated funds violated the APA, ultra vires doctrine, or the Constitution. 

Congress and the President acted in 2022 to lower everyone's electric bills, and make their electric sector less dependent on global energy markets beyond the reach of Putin and unrelated to the Strait of Hormuz. Low-income Tennesseans were intended recipients. Follow along below as we explore why TN's AG decided not to join the coalition to  protect $156 Million in public funding.