A federal judge ruled Tuesday that EPA, the Interior and Energy Departments and other agencies unlawfully froze funds under Democrats’ climate and infrastructure spending laws, ordering the agencies to immediately resume disbursing the money. The ruling from Judge Mary McElroy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, who was named to the bench by President Donald Trump in 2019, comes on the eve of an expected decision from another judge in Washington on whether EPA lawfully terminated $20 billion in climate grants. That case and other litigation are part of a complex web of lawsuits over frozen funds and terminated grants playing out in multiple courts.

Other EPA news:

• E&E News by Politico: EPA asks judge to block $625M in climate grants even if she rules against the agency
• E&E News by Politico: EPA hands pollution passes to top mercury emitters
• WaterWorld: EPA discusses WIFIA at Water Week roundtable
• The Regulatory Review: Blog: Ending EPA’s “Endangerment” Finding