The Trump administration has stripped Maine of a $62 million grant to help low income households access solar power.
In a Thursday letter to the state, the Environmental Protection Agency said the recent Republican tax law, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, revoked the $7 billion "Solar for All" national grant program.
"Thus, any attempt to continue the program’s administration, in the absence of any authorizing legislation or appropriated funds for that purpose, is no longer legally permissible," the agency said.
But supporters of the national program claim it is being shut down illegally and will hurt Americans struggling with high electric bills.
"Canceling the program deprives Maine of access to affordable solar, energy storage, and the skilled electricians, installers, and construction workers needed to meet our energy and economic needs now and in the future," said Dan Burgess, director of the Maine Governor's Energy Office.
"We remain committed to this program and will review all options to preserve it," Burgess added.
The office is reviewing the EPA notice and determining next steps in consultation with the Maine Office of Attorney General, the energy office said.
Maine received its Solar for All award last April. So far it has spent about $200,000 of the grant, according to energy office spokesperson Afton Vigue.
The EPA approved the office's Solar for All plan just last month. It intended to introduce the program in early 2026.
The funding was projected to help about 20,000 low income people in Maine lower electric bills through incentives for rooftop solar panels and cooperative solar arrays, according to the office.
It also included funding to train 700 Maine residents in electrical work, construction and other trades, Viggue said.
The Solar for All program was established in 2022 through the Inflation Reduction Act. The EPA made awards to 60 states and tribes through the program.
In a statement, Vermont's Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said he introduced Solar for All to help working families save money.
"At a time when working families are getting crushed by skyrocketing energy costs and the planet is literally burning, sabotaging this program isn’t just wrong — it’s absolutely insane," Sanders said.
