Advocates push to revive federal funding for Nevada Solar for All program

A view of photovoltaic panels on the roofs of homes in the Sunstone community near U.S. 95 and Kyle Canyon Road Thursday, July 17, 2025. The development has solar panels on nearly every roof. Photo by: Steve Marcus

Community leaders and environmental advocates across Nevada are calling on Gov. Joe Lombardo and the Environmental Protection Agency to restore funding for the Nevada Solar for All program after the Trump administration suspended the national initiative.

The Nevada Clean Energy Fund had been awarded $156 million through Solar for All — the largest per-capita allocation of any state in the nation — to bring affordable solar energy to low-income families, create nearly 1,000 new jobs and lower utility bills for more than 50,000 Nevadans.

The program’s elimination followed passage of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which eliminated the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that had been created under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. According to the EPA, the legislation removed both the agency’s legal authority and funding to maintain the program.

The program was intended to provide low-interest financing for rooftop and community solar installations on homes, multifamily housing, municipal buildings and businesses. It also advances workforce development in rural and urban communities, creates private investment opportunities, and supports energy resilience for communities experiencing frequent power outages.

More than 300 Nevada homeowners, 5,000 renters, and over 25 community solar installations were already registered or in progress before the program’s suspension, advocates said. The program was expected to provide benefits through summer 2029.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has filed a lawsuit against the administration over the funding suspension.

“Nevadans have worked tirelessly to make the Silver State a model for solar energy, and in return, we have been met with illegal obstructions from the federal government,” Ford said. “The Trump administration owes us $150 million. I’ve sued the administration, and I am confident that our courts will agree that this money legally belongs to Nevada.”

Community advocates during a news conference on Tuesday emphasized the program’s importance for struggling families facing rising utility costs.

“Families are struggling with rising utility costs while extreme heat and energy demand put additional strain on our communities,” said Shaunda Johnson of Faith In Action Nevada. “Nevada Solar for All is a commonsense solution; it lowers bills, creates jobs, and strengthens communities. We cannot afford to let this funding go unclaimed.”

Liz Becker of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada said the suspension put economic opportunity at risk.

“This program is about more than just solar panels,” Becker said. “It’s about energy independence, affordable electricity for working families, and economic opportunity for Nevada’s communities. The suspension of funding puts all of that at risk just when families need it most.”

Reina Velis, a Chispa Nevada member, described how the program would help her family, who pays more than $300 monthly on energy bills, saying the money saved would help“ keep our family safe and healthy.”

Jackie Spicer, coalition coordinator for the Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition, urged immediate action: “Nevadans cannot miss out on the jobs, cost savings and community benefits that Solar for All was designed to provide. We urge the EPA to restore these funds immediately.”

Julia Hubbard, Solar United Neighbors Nevada program director, emphasized the timing of the funding suspension.

“The illegal rescission of Solar for All funding comes at a time when many Nevada families are making impossible choices between paying their energy bills and meeting basic needs like food and medicine,” Hubbard said. “Restore this funding so we can lower energy bills and create good jobs.”

Lombardo signed Assembly Bill 458 — a bipartisan measure that expands access to rooftop solar for Nevada families living in affordable housing — into law in June before the EPA funds were cut.

At the time of the signing, Kirsten Stasio, CEO of the Nevada Clean Energy Fund, praised Lombardo and said AB 458 would enable Nevada’s $156 million Solar for All program to achieve its full potential.