Ohio mayors push back as EPA ends $7B Solar for All program

By Farah Siddiqi

The Trump administration has terminated the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All program, cutting $7 billion in funding for low- to moderate-income households, including grants already awarded to Ohio communities.

Shammas Malik, mayor of Akron, said the decision comes at a time when energy costs are rising.

"Canceling this program is a step in the wrong direction for our residents in Akron and really all across Ohio," Malik contended. "We were looking forward to helping implement this program as a way of making sure that everyone in our city had access to solar energy, not just those who can afford big up front costs."

The EPA’s Solar for All program was designed to help households save nearly $400 per year on utility bills through rooftop solar and energy upgrades, according to a joint statement from Ohio mayors.

Other Ohio mayors, including those in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, signed onto the statement opposing the decision. Malik stressed the end of the program leaves out the people who need it most.

"The financial calculus will mean that only folks who are pretty well off will be able to afford this, at least in the short term," Malik pointed out. "That’s unfortunate because it means that folks who most need relief on their electricity bills will not have access to these kinds of programs."

Mayors across Ohio are urging the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to reconsider, warning without Solar for All, energy affordability and equitable access to renewable power will remain out of reach for many families.