Washington state sues Trump administration for withholding funding to combat climate change

Washington state has filed another lawsuit against the Trump administration — this time for rescinding over $9 million in congressionally approved funds meant to help fight climate change.

The lawsuit comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in May terminated two funding opportunities aimed at preparing for the effects of climate change, saying the programs were inconsistent with President Donald Trump's new priorities.

In a news release Monday, the state Attorney General's office called the move abrupt and unlawful.

The agency also said NOAA launched the programs in 2022 and 2023, after Congress had directed the agency to help states and other entities prepare for the effects of climate change.

Washington was among the states awarded funding through both programs, which emphasize "equity, inclusion, and engagement with historically underrepresented communities that are disproportionately exposed to the effects of climate change," according to the Attorney General's office.

In a statement, Attorney General Nick Brown said the loss of this funding jeopardizes jobs and threatens to undermine the state's strategy to fight — and cope with the effects of — climate change.

"Climate change is here, and Washington communities need to prepare and build resilience," Brown said. "The federal government promised funding to help local communities adapt, and we're holding them to it."

The lawsuit seeks to declare NOAA's actions unlawful and unconstitutional and reverse the termination of the funds.

One program that relies on this funding is Tribal Stewards, a collaboration between six colleges and five tribal governments located in areas that are most vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change — like increased wildfires or rising ocean levels.

The program aims to train more than 2,000 students to become wildlife biologists, environmental scientists, and forest and conservation technicians — all focused on building "climate resilience."

Maya Esquivido-Strom is the interim director of tribal government affairs at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, which was awarded $9.3 million from NOAA last year for the Tribal Stewards program. She said more than just funding is at stake — it's about the communities' ability to respond to ongoing changes in the environment.

"The impacts are happening," Esquivido-Strom said. "How are we preparing the future generations of leaders to adapt to what our new world is going to look like?"

What's also unique about the program, Esquivido-Strom said, is the way it incorporates tribal practices into the curriculum.

"By having partnerships with our tribal communities, it's giving a larger look at the ways that tribal communities have adapted to changes," she said. "And I think that's been missing within our education."

The other program affected by the Trump administration's cuts is a project within the state Department of Ecology that aims to "reduce environmental and health disparities by supporting local efforts to address coastal hazards," according to the AG's office.

NOAA had awarded the project $250,000 but is now withholding almost half of the funds. That's brought work to a halt, the AG's office said, "leaving Washington's coastal communities vulnerable to flooding, erosion, and other hazards."