Arizona's Kris Mayes is among a handful of attorneys general suing the Trump administration for canceling a solar energy grant program.
The Solar For All Arizonans program is meant to increase access to solar energy across the state. It's funded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The program was set to launch in 2026, but EPA Director Lee Zeldin announced in August that the recent federal spending bill cancels the program.
"EPA no longer has the authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive," Zeldin said in a video announcement on Aug. 7.
Mayes said that's illegal.
"Arizona families are already facing sky-high electricity bills, and we will not let the EPA abandon its commitment to fund solar energy projects," Mayes said.
The attorneys general argue that Zeldin's claim that the federal funding bill eliminated the program is not true, because the funds were already obligated.
Now, they say the EPA is breaching its contract with states like Arizona.
The Solar for All Arizonans program was established through the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. The federal government at the time awarded $7 billion in grants to various organizations.
Arizona received $156 million and the Hopi Tribe received $25 million.
Mayes said Thursday that more than 11,000 low-income households in the state will see higher bills if the program is canceled.
Mayes' lawsuit comes after several top Arizona Democrats, including Gov. Katie Hobbs and Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, signed on to a letter in August demanding that the Trump administration release the program's funding.
Arizona's program aims to lower electricity costs.
Within the Solar for All Arizonans program, there are four components, including residential rooftop solar for homeowners in low- or moderate-income households, and a workforce development program to train workers in the solar development industry.
There's also a rural and tribal pilot section of the program, which would prioritize areas of the state that don't have electricity.
The cancellation of the solar program comes as Arizona's largest utility, Arizona Public Service, recently backed out of a commitment to use zero-carbon sources by 2050.
Arizona's energy costs also continue to rise.
Mayes said the loss of the program will make it harder for the state to reach carbon neutrality goals and will negatively impact the state's air quality.
Copyright 2025 KJZZ News
