Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management

A sudden pause in federal assistance is sowing disarray and outrage across the country, throwing into doubt a wide range of programs that help protect Americans from disasters, provide access to clean drinking water and affordable energy and help protect ecosystems, among many other issues.

The order, which came in a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget on Monday, directed agencies across the government to suspend federal assistance that might not be aligned with the policies of President Donald Trump, “including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, [diversity, equity and inclusion], woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.” The Green New Deal, never enacted into law, was a proposal for climate and economic spending.

The memo, copies of which were posted by news organizations, directed agencies to review all their assistance programs “and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements,” pointing to executive orders Trump has issued covering immigration, foreign aid, energy, climate change and other issues. It ordered agencies to provide detailed information on these programs by Feb. 10 and to “cancel awards already awarded that are in conflict with Administration priorities.”

On Tuesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the order right before it was set to take effect after groups including the American Public Health Association sued, according to The New York Times. In a separate action Tuesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said on social media that she and a coalition of states were also suing to block the White House order.

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