Trump’s EPA Revokes USVI $62.5M Solar Grant

     Trump’s EPA Revokes  

   USVI $62.5M Solar Grant

M.A. Dworkin

USVI - In a deep blow to the USVI’s hopes to fund residential community solar projects and power storage, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revoked a $62.5 million “Solar For All” grant to the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The grant, which was approved in April 2025, was intended for residential and community solar projects but has now been rescinded under the Trump Administration’s new governmental efficiency policy. The revocation of the funds forces the Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) to halt all related activities. 

     In October, 2025, the EPA issued a “Stop Work” order and officially rescinded the grant. 

     Specifically, the grant was to focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities. The project aimed to deploy 21 megawatts of solar generation and 55 megawatt-hours of battery storage across the Territory.

     The VIEO’s large-scale solar expansion plans were halted before they had a chance to begin. However, the Energy Office is continuing with smaller, alternative federally funded programs, such as the Community Electrical Innovations (CEI) program and the Solar Plus Financing (SPF) pilot program.

     VI Energy Office Director, Kyle Fleming said “Despite the grant withdrawal, the VIEO’s mission remains unchanged, to pursue affordable, resilient, and sustainable power for residents and essential community services.”   

     The elimination of the USVI grant is part of a larger federal reversal on clean energy initiatives. The new EPA leadership, installed by the Trump Administration, has terminated billions of dollars in funding for clean energy projects, prompting lawsuits from several grant recipients. At this time the USVI has no intention of filing a lawsuit against the revocation of funds.

     The Trump Administration’s shift in priorities has caused uncertainty and concern among officials in the USVI and elsewhere about the future of other promised funding.

     President Trump’s stance on clean energy and climate change should come as no surprise given his recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he said, “This climate change, it’s the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, in my opinion…All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong. They were made by stupid people that have cost their countries fortunes and given those same countries no chance for success. If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail,” President Trump boldly stated without backing up his claims with any facts or scientific evidence.   

     Trump has long been a critic of climate science and related policies which are aimed at helping the world transition to green energies like wind and solar.