In September, thanks to the hard work of Southern Environmental Law Center, Lawyers for Good Government, Conservation Law Foundation, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and many more, two federal courts delivered the same verdict just four days apart: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law when it shut down the Solar for All program. The money Congress set aside is still there, and it is still earmarked for Solar for All. So the program is back, right?
Not quite. The rulings are a major win, but families across the South are not yet getting the solar savings they were promised. The federal government has 60 days to appeal, and the EPA has not said it will restart the program. What happens next depends in part on whether Congress hears from the people this program was built to serve.
What Solar for All Was Meant To Do
Congress created Solar for All in 2022 with a simple goal: to help low-income households cut their electric bills by at least 20% using low-cost solar energy. The program provided grants so every state could set up its own solar program, with $7 billion awarded to 60 recipients nationwide.
Here in the Southeast, more than $750 million was made available to Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina. That is enough to serve nearly 100,000 households, and it would have meant lower bills, new rooftop solar and battery storage, and new careers in the clean energy workforce.
How the Program Was Stopped
Despite Congress’ clear intent and the fact that the EPA had already executed contracts with grant recipients, the EPA froze the grants and dismantled the program under the direction of Administrator Lee Zeldin. On August 7, 2025, the agency sent termination letters to all 60 recipients, arguing that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act had stripped away the EPA’s authority to run the program.
Grantees, workers, local governments, and advocates pushed back, filing lawsuits that argued the termination was unlawful.
Two Courts, One Conclusion
On September 18, 2026, in Rhode Island AFL-CIO v. EPA, a federal court agreed: the EPA’s termination of Solar for All was unlawful.
On September 22, 2026, in Harris County v. EPA, a second federal court reached the same conclusion. The court found that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act only took back funds that had not yet been committed; however, the Solar for All money had already been awarded through signed grant agreements. In other words, Congress never rescinded the funding that the EPA was withholding.
Just as important, these rulings apply to the entire Solar for All program, not only to the grantees who sued.
So, Why Isn’t the Program Running?
A court ruling does not automatically restart a program. The federal government has 60 days to appeal these decisions, and the EPA has said it is reviewing the rulings. Until the agency acts, grantees cannot pick up where they left off, and the families waiting for lower bills keep waiting.
With electricity costs continuing to rise, the case for moving now could not be stronger. The money exists, the courts have spoken, and the need has only grown.
The Cost to Southern Communities
Programs across the South were at different stages when the termination letters arrived on August 7, 2025. Some programs were already accepting applications and had families on the cusp of getting solar and storage that would have made their energy bills more affordable. Others were starting workforce development, ready to train people who were looking forward to a new career and a pathway to financial freedom. Still others were in the middle of planning.
One community partner in the Mississippi Delta told the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy the cancellation felt “like a rug snatched from under us.” Another in Georgia was ready for workforce development and literally had the money taken from them. Read more about the human toll in SACE’s reporting: How the Termination of Solar for All Left Southern Communities Scrambling.
Take Action
The courts have done their part. Now it is time for the EPA to do its part, and Congress can help make that happen. Reach out to your members of Congress by email and phone, and let them know it is time for the EPA to get Solar for All started again.
- Send a message: Use SACE’s action tool to email your members of Congress.
- Call: Find your representative and senators here.
When you reach out, ask your members of Congress to engage with the EPA to:
- Emphasize the important role Solar For All could play in our community.
- Urge the EPA to comply with the courts’ rulings and uphold Congress’ intent by swiftly reinstating the Solar for All program.
- Ensure the $7 billion already awarded nationally, including the more than $100 million for your state, moves forward to implementation without further delay.
The appeal window is ticking. Every call and email helps make clear that families in the South are still counting on the savings Congress promised them.
Conclusion
So, is Solar for All back? Legally, yes. Two federal courts have confirmed that Congress created this program, funded it, and never took that funding away. The EPA’s attempt to shut it down did not hold up in court. But a program that exists on paper does nothing for a family facing a rising power bill, a trainee waiting on a first job, or a community that spent years laying the groundwork.
The question now is whether the EPA will honor the courts’ rulings or keep the money on the sidelines. Southern communities have already lost more than a year of progress. The funding is in place, the plans are ready, and the need is growing. What is missing is the will to move forward, and that is where your voice comes in. Contact your members of Congress today and tell them it is time for the EPA to put Solar for All back to work.
