The Department of Transportation has shut down a long-running climate program that’s helped states spend federal dollars on projects to address global warming.
The Climate Change Center, also known as the Office of Climate Change and Environment, was established by law more than a decade ago. But it took on new significance during the Biden administration, when the bipartisan infrastructure law dedicated more than $13 billion to climate programs over five years.
The Transportation Department didn’t respond to questions from POLITICO’s E&E News about the program’s status. But its website is offline, and a former agency employee said other functions at the office have been shuttered, too.
One of the center’s main functions was providing technical assistance to help states, local governments and metropolitan planning organizations navigate the rules around federal funds. That boiled down to constant communication, which included a website, Listserv and a series of webinars.
