In case you missed it during a busy news week, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin derailed the massive green gravy train and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse can’t take it.
In a city with no shortage of hot air, the recent heated Senate hearing clash between Zeldin and Whitehouse is more than political theater. It was also window into the deep dysfunction and fraud at the heart of the Biden Administration’ so-called "green investment" strategy. Those focusing on the spirited back and forth missed the more consequential story: Zeldin was trying to shine a light on legitimate concerns about the reckless deployment of taxpayer money through green banks. And he’s right to demand accountability.
A big part of the controversy is the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), which is a $27 billion program created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support “green banks” around the country. Proponents hailed it as a historic investment in clean energy, but what has unfolded is a cautionary tale of political favoritism, weak oversight, and troubling conflicts of interest. It’s not just Zeldin sounding the alarm. Inspectors General from both the EPA and the Department of Energy raised red flags — and did so under the Biden administration.
A May 2024 report by the EPA’s Office of Inspector General acknowledged that the agency was not even funded to oversee the $45 billion in IRA funds it received, including the GGRF. The report candidly admitted: “OIG oversight of this funding has been limited.” This is not a minor oversight. It is a glaring systemic failure to monitor one of the most significant public investments in climate infrastructure in U.S. history. Senator Whitehouse was fine with billions flying out the door, but didn’t raise a finger to help fund the agency’s watchdog.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy's OIG dropped a bombshell in December 2024. Their report revealed that the Loan Programs Office (LPO) was failing to get the job done. Contractors were reviewing “green bank” loan applications from clients with which they had financial relationships. In some cases, third-party experts were paid by loan applicants themselves. This isn’t just bureaucratic negligence. It’s a formula for cronyism and corruption.
These problems didn’t emerge overnight. At the state level, I raised concerns nearly two years ago when New Mexico quietly established a state-level green bank behind closed doors. The process lacked transparency and accountability from the start. The pattern is now clear: green bank programs have become vehicles for funneling billions of public dollars to well-connected nonprofits and private interests with little oversight.
That is until Administrator Zeldin hit the brakes.
And yet, Senator Whitehouse is objecting to the freeze on funding initiated by Administrator Zeldin. Why? Perhaps the answer lies closer to home than he lets on. Sandra Whitehouse, the senator’s wife, is a senior policy advisor at an NGO that has received millions in federal grants linked to the kind of climate programs the GGRF supports. According to one report, the organization has directly benefited from policies her husband champions in the Senate. Now, we start to understand why Whitehouse is spitting mad that the taxpayer spigot was turned off.
At best, this represents a troubling conflict of interest. At worst, it raises ethical questions about whether public policy is being driven by private financial gain.
The new leaders at the EPA simply want to ensure that taxpayer dollars go directly toward clear air and clear water. What Administrator Zeldin is doing is not sabotage. It’s stewardship.
The green movement and its allies in Washington need to face a hard truth: taxpayer dollars are no longer “gold bars” to be thrown off the Titanic that was the Biden Administration. With multiple Inspectors General sounding alarms and public trust on the line, stopping the flow of funds is not only long overdue — it’s imperative.
Lee Zeldin has the facts on his side. The warning signs were flashing during the Biden administration, and nothing was done. Now, with billions in the balance, the time for hand-waving is over.
Accountability must begin and the cloud of corruption must end.
Larry Behrens is an energy expert and the Communications Director for Power The Future. He has appeared on Fox News, ZeroHedge, and NewsMax speaking in defense of American energy workers. You can follow him on X/Twitter @larrybehrens.