Biden Administration Races to Finalize Climate Funding Before Trump Presidency

The White House is working to disburse remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds and solidify climate policies ahead of the transition of power.

The Biden administration is accelerating efforts to allocate remaining Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds and finalize climate-related regulations before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients has instructed federal agencies to commit as much funding as possible, with 98% of IRA funds already awarded or obligated as of October.
Key initiatives include funding for clean energy projects, electric vehicle infrastructure, and renewable energy incentives, with over $41 billion in pending conditional loan commitments from the Energy Department's Loans Program Office.
Republicans, including Trump, have expressed intentions to reverse or redirect unspent IRA funds, though many projects have been structured to make rollbacks more difficult.
Environmental advocates are urging the administration to take additional steps, such as rejecting new natural gas export facilities and approving California's proposed phaseout of gas-powered cars by 2035.