Dozens of environmental teams, a number of of that are suing the Trump administration, have obtained tens of millions of {dollars} in authorities loans by way of the federal paycheck safety program (PPP), in line with information.

Beneficiaries of this system, which goals to maintain folks employed through the pandemic, embody Defenders of Wildlife, Associates of the Earth, Oceana, American Rivers, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Inexperienced America, Earthworks and the Western Environmental Legislation Heart (WELC), in line with knowledge launched Monday by the Treasury Division.

All of those teams have publicly criticized the Trump administration’s environmental insurance policies and in some instances have taken authorized motion to dam them.

Advocates sued the Trump administration on Might 12 to cease building of a US-Mexico border safety fence that it mentioned would destroy the habitats of animals corresponding to jaguars and ocelots. . The lawsuit appoints the departments of Protection and Homeland Safety.

9 days earlier, the Washington-based nonprofit had secured a mortgage value between $ 2-5 million beneath the Paycheck Program, run by the Small Enterprise Administration (SBA). of the Treasury. Defenders has $ 40 million in property and $ 33 million in annual income, in line with its federal tax return for 2019.

The group defended taking authorities cash.

“We really feel no obligation to the Trump administration as a result of we secured a mortgage beneath a program approved by Congress to assist employers retain their employees,” Defenders CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark mentioned in a press release. communicated to E&E Information. “Anybody who is aware of Defenders is aware of that we’ll by no means achieve success in tackling the damaging and misguided insurance policies of the Trump administration for wildlife and public lands.”

The environmental teams that took federal funds have been small to medium-sized nonprofits, with annual budgets starting from just a few million {dollars} to round $ 50 million.

The Oregon-based WELC obtained a federal mortgage of slightly below $ 350,000 on April 13, six weeks earlier than suing the Federal Power Regulatory Fee to dam a liquefied pure fuel challenge in Oregon that had been accredited by the committee.

Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, the centre’s government director, mentioned he noticed no battle in taking funds from the administration whereas preventing its insurance policies.

“I am not an enormous fan of the Trump administration, however simply because it administers a program by way of the SBA doesn’t by some means tarnish the entire program or the important advantages it offered to small companies and nonprofit organizations, ”mentioned Schlenker-Goodrich.

The nonprofit authorized middle makes use of this cash to proceed its work defending public lands and wildlife, “notably by difficult the Trump administration in federal courtroom,” Schlenker-Goodrich mentioned. The middle has $ 2.3 million in property and $ 3 million in annual income, in line with its 2017 federal tax return.

Conservative teams that backed the Trump administration and clashed with environmentalists declined to touch upon the teams’ acceptance of federal cash.

“We want to give attention to the political agenda fairly than how different organizations select to handle themselves,” mentioned Travis Burk of the Aggressive Enterprise Institute.

The Cato Libertarian Institute additionally declined to remark. As a substitute, he despatched a remark that institute leaders wrote in The Wall Avenue Journal in April, saying that whereas Cato would not search federal cash, “we would not be criticizing others for taking assist.”

Loans to environmental teams are a tiny fraction of the $ 660 billion that has gone to 4.9 million companies because of the paycheck program Congress created to assist employers keep on payroll through the financial downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

This system has sparked controversy following studies of loans from massive publicly traded firms presupposed to be reserved for employers who haven’t any different technique of elevating capital.

Knowledge launched on Monday exhibits loans went to chains backed by Wall Avenue buyers, elite non-public faculties and corporations linked to President Trump, together with a New York regulation agency run by his private legal professional. . Surroundings & Power Publishing LLC, which publishes E&E Information, obtained $ 1.9 million beneath this system in April.

The one hour or less loans have an rate of interest of 1% however might be absolutely forgiven in the event that they go to companies with 500 or fewer workers and are used to pay employees prices, mortgage curiosity, lease, and utilities.

Some environmental teams have cited their work associated to the pandemic as a proof for why they took federal funds.

When the coronavirus hit the USA, EWG, which obtained a $ 1.2 million mortgage, “rapidly turned to offering necessary info on how Individuals can shield themselves,” y together with recommendation on the simplest disinfectants towards the virus, group chairman Ken Prepare dinner. , mentioned in a press release to E&E Information.

“The mission of the EWG and the pressing want to supply invaluable info through the pandemic aligns. The mortgage we obtained by way of PPP made a number of this work attainable, ”Prepare dinner mentioned. The nonprofit has property of $ 11 million and annual income of $ 15 million, in line with its 2018 tax return.

The complete listing of environmental teams that bought the cash just isn’t identified as a result of the Treasury solely launched the names of the 660,000 firms that obtained loans of at the very least $ 150,000.

Most of the largest and best-funded environmental teams weren’t on the listing launched Monday, together with the Pure Sources Protection Council, the Environmental Protection Fund and the Nationwide Audubon Society. Tax returns present NRDC has $ 443 million in property, EDF $ 245 million, and Audubon $ 512 million.

American Rivers sued the Trump administration for its Clear Water Act rule in late April, days earlier than it obtained $ 1.4 million from the federal authorities. The cash will cowl payroll, lease and utilities for eight weeks, after which the nonprofit expects to face a monetary wrestle.

“We do not have a big reserve base,” American Rivers mentioned in a press release. The group mentioned $ 14 million in property and $ 23 million in earnings in its 2018 tax return, however expects its fundraising to say no, forcing it to chop prices.

Associates of the Earth mentioned they took out a mortgage value $ 1 million to $ 2 million to “ assure employees salaries through the COVID pandemic in order that we will proceed to carry the Trump administration accountable for its assaults on the atmosphere, or the Democrats accountable for not having led the lead boldly. environmental issues.”

The nonprofit has $ 15 million in property, in line with its newest tax return.

Disclosure: E&E Information has obtained funding from the Paycheck Safety Program.