Chicago City Wire

Amid growing scrutiny over the use of taxpayer funds, 23 Republican state attorneys general have urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halt federal grants to the Environmental Law Institute (ELI). The group runs the Climate Judiciary Project (CJP), which has faced criticism for its role in influencing climate-related court cases. In a letter addressed to EPA Chief Administrator Lee Zeldin, the attorneys general called on the Trump Administration to cease funding ELI due to concerns about CJP's involvement in climate lawfare.

"The Climate Judiciary Project’s mission is clear: lobby judges in order to make climate change policy through the courts," states the letter. It further argues that education provided by CJP is not "neutral," "objective," or "reliable" if it aims to sway judges toward one side in active litigation.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who led this initiative, expressed his concerns through Fox News: "The Environmental Law Institute’s Climate Judiciary Project is using woke climate propaganda, under the guise of what they call ‘neutral’ education, to persuade judges and push their wildly unpopular agenda through the court system."

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) criticizes the Climate Judiciary Project | Wikipedia

This move follows increased criticism from policymakers and industry leaders regarding CJP's influence on federal judges. A House Oversight subcommittee held a hearing in June focusing on non-governmental organization (NGO) abuses, highlighting CJP as an example of a taxpayer-funded NGO pursuing a radical climate agenda. Scott Walker, president of Capital Research Center, emphasized CJP's judicial education as problematic: "...the controversial Climate Judiciary Project...seeks to ‘educate’—from a left-wing perspective—federal and state judges about climate change..."

The project has reportedly briefed over 2,000 judges nationwide on courtroom applications of climate science favorable to plaintiffs. This prompted investigations by Congress members like Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who demanded information from ELI about CJP's connections with academics supporting plaintiffs in climate cases.

Energy industry groups have also voiced their concerns. Dan Turner, Executive Director of Power the Future, wrote to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding CJP's partnership with the Federal Judicial Center. He argued that such collaboration seeks to impose federal energy policies through courts instead of legislative processes.

Despite denials from ELI representatives about any bias in CJP’s training programs, skepticism remains among lawmakers. Previous investigations into ELI have focused on its funding sources and personnel ties with plaintiff lawyers and academics involved in climate lawfare.

In 2024 alone, ELI received more than $937,000 from various government agencies including the EPA and Department of Homeland Security. These funds are part of what critics describe as a coordinated campaign threatening American energy dominance and affordability.

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