Biden’s Lame Duck Climate Projects Scrapped in Massive Trump Energy Overhaul [WATCH]

The Trump administration has canceled $3.7 billion in grants that had been awarded to 24 climate and infrastructure projects under the Biden-Harris administration, citing financial concerns and a lack of return on investment for American taxpayers.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the decision Friday following a review of the projects by the Department of Energy (DOE). Wright stated the projects failed to meet the economic, security, and energy needs of the United States.

“While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment,” Wright said.

“Today, we are acting in the best interest of the American people by canceling these 24 awards.”

Unlike the last administration, @POTUS is ensuring we are utilizing taxpayer dollars responsibly!

Today, we are acting in the best interest of the American people and cancelling these irresponsible 24 awards, totaling over $3 BILLION in taxpayer savings. https://t.co/TnboWK4kB6

— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) May 30, 2025

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According to the DOE, approximately 70 percent of the projects were approved after the 2024 presidential election but before President Donald Trump officially returned to office in January 2025.

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Of the 24 canceled projects, 16 were signed between November 5, 2024, and January 20, 2025, during Biden’s lame-duck period.

Chris Wright, United States Secretary of Energy reveals to Senator Kennedy today that Biden’s green energy dept released $93B to cronies in the green energy space after Trump became President Elect, and over the last 76 days of the Biden “AutoPen” fictional Presidency. pic.twitter.com/Q868031Q1S

— Scott Adams (@scottadamsshow) May 22, 2025

The majority of the now-canceled projects were focused on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, a method used to trap and store carbon emissions underground.

Other projects involved initiatives related to cleaner cement, natural gas, and other climate-centered infrastructure.

Notable cuts include $332 million from a CCS project at ExxonMobil’s refinery complex in Baytown, Texas, $500 million from a proposed facility by Heidelberg Materials in Indiana, and $375 million from Eastman Chemical Company’s site in Longview, Texas.

The review was part of a broader audit initiated by the Trump administration to identify potential waste and reorient federal energy spending toward reliable, domestic energy sources.

The DOE stated the goal is to align energy spending with national security interests and the administration’s broader agenda to promote energy independence.

Climate and environmental organizations criticized the move. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said the administration’s decision “could stifle innovation” and keep U.S. plants reliant on outdated technologies.

“Locking domestic plants into outdated technology is not a recipe for future competitiveness or bringing manufacturing jobs back to American communities,” Nadel said.

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions estimated that canceling the projects could cost the U.S. 25,000 jobs and roughly $4.6 billion in economic output, noting that several of the projects were seen as pilot programs for future industrial-scale operations.

The DOE stated the review is part of President Trump’s broader plan to “unleash affordable, reliable and secure energy” for the country while cutting back on federal spending that does not yield measurable returns or advances in national energy security.

Secretary Wright also spoke Friday at the Reagan National Economic Forum, held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where he addressed the administration’s energy policies.

During the panel, moderated by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, Wright criticized the previous administration for excessive regulations, particularly in Alaska.

“The Biden administration strangled the state of Alaska with restrictions and red tape that was beyond levels imposed on North Korea, Iran and Venezuela combined,” Wright said.

The Trump administration has made rolling back environmental regulations and scaling down Biden-era energy initiatives a central part of its domestic policy agenda.

The cancellation of the $3.7 billion in grants marks one of the largest reversals of federal climate spending since the beginning of Trump’s second term.

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