Latest news with #cleanenergy
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservative group targets Utah Sen. Curtis over support for clean energy tax credits
The conservative Club for Growth is targeting Utah Sen. John Curtis over his support for clean energy tax credits, raising the stakes for Republican leaders as they scramble to pass their massive tax reconciliation bill. The fiscally conservative group will launch an ad series this weekend targeting a handful of GOP lawmakers over their policy stances at odds with President Donald Trump's massive budget framework. The ad taking aim at Curtis specifically focuses on his support for preserving some green energy tax incentives passed under the Biden administration through the Inflation Reduction Act. 'Republicans were elected up and down the ballot in 2024 to reverse disastrous Biden policies — not protect them,' said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. 'If the tax cut bill fails because John Curtis is against it in order to protect Biden giveaways, every family in Utah will be hit with the largest tax increase in history. We are confident his constituents in Utah will remind Sen. Curtis how misguided his approach is.' The 30-second ad, which will run statewide beginning on Sunday, claims Curtis is threatening Trump's plans to reverse former President Joe Biden's signature climate policies. The commercial specifically refers to the 1,038-page megabill making its way through Congress seeking to advance Trump's policies on the border, energy production, national defense and more. The budget resolution also contains extensions for a slew of tax cuts set to expire at the end of this year. The budget package greenlights about $4.5 trillion to extend the tax cuts previously approved in Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and make them permanent. To offset those costs, lawmakers must find at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts elsewhere. However, internal disagreements on where to cut spending has delayed progress on the bill as some Republicans push for deep cuts while others caution against them. One of the most controversial provisions tucked into the budget resolution is language repealing clean energy tax credits that were passed under the Biden administration with only Democratic support. Curtis is among those pushing to preserve some of those policies, particularly those dealing with nuclear energy, net-zero emissions, battery storage and more. The first-term senator has long centered his climate policies on clean energy solutions, suggesting earlier this week he will push for those changes as the Senate considers the bill. 'We must build a thoughtful, principled bill that doesn't pull the rug out from under American innovators,' a spokesperson for Curtis told the Deseret News. 'Doing otherwise risks freezing investment, delaying domestic production, increasing costs, and forfeiting our energy edge and national security to China and Russia.' The Club for Growth has previously targeted Curtis, spending millions of dollars on ad campaigns claiming the Utah senator is not conservative enough. But Curtis contends those big-money efforts by national groups have only boosted his message — arguing his victories over the last eight years have been a result of Utah voters rejecting out-of-state meddling in local elections. The ad campaign targets other Republicans who have threatened to vote against Trump's megabill, such as New York Reps. Mike Lawler and Nick LaLota, who pushed for expansions to federal deductions for state and local taxes paid, also known as SALT. While LaLota and Lawler have outright said they would vote against the reconciliation package if it didn't include those demands, Curtis has so far stopped short of saying he would reject the budget framework if it nixed green energy credits. Still, the Utah senator said he would fight to include them in the final bill. 'I think if I have anything to say about it, I'll make sure that we're taking into account our energy future,' Curtis said earlier this week.
Washington Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
The Department of Energy axes $3.7 billion in clean energy project grants
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday he canceled nearly $4 billion in project grants, in another massive blow to clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in the U.S. under President Donald Trump's administration. The grants, largely awarded during former President Joe Biden's final few months in the White House, were primarily for programs to capture carbon emissions and store them underground. Other targeted efforts span cleaner cement, natural gas and more. Some of the 24 canceled awards include $500 million to Heidelberg Materials US, Inc.; $375 million to Eastman Chemical Company; $95 million to Nevada Gold Mines, LLC; and $270 million to Sutter CCUS, among others, according to a list provided by the Department of Energy. Sublime Systems, which lost an $87 million grant, was 'surprised and disappointed,' the company said in a statement. 'Today's action is bad for U.S. competitiveness in the global market and also directly contradictory to the administration's stated goals of supporting energy production and environmental innovation,' said Conrad Schneider, a senior director at the Clean Air Task Force. It 'undercuts U.S. competitiveness at a time when there is a growing global market for cleaner industrial products and technologies.' The news was a swift follow-up to plans the Energy Department announced earlier this month to review 179 funded projects, totaling over $15 billion, that were awarded by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations created under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. It is part of Wright's pledge to ensure 'responsible' spending — aligning with the government's broader efficiency and cost-cutting measures, such as those recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has significantly impacted federal research, workers and agencies. 'While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment,' Wright said in Friday's statement. Moreover, the announcement marks the latest of the administration's attacks on clean energy, broadly, and its effort to slash federal support for projects addressing climate change. The Trump administration has taken an ax to Biden-era environmental ambitions, rolled back landmark regulations, withdrawn climate project funding, and instead bolstered support for oil and gas production in the name of an 'American energy dominance' agenda. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, called the news 'shortsighted.' Carbon capture has been a controversial climate solution , as skeptics say it enables the continued burning of fossil fuels oil, coal and natural gas that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases — including carbon dioxide — and distracts from the need to cut ties with those energy sources altogether. Though investment in the technology has grown, it also remains challenging to scale. Organizations quickly decried the secretary's actions, stressing that the cancelations don't align with the administration's goals to bolster domestic manufacturing or energy independence. Jessie Stolark, the executive director of the nonpartisan Carbon Capture Coalition, said the news 'is a major step backward' for carbon management technologies, which are 'crucial to meeting America's growing demand for affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.' 'These projects are not just reducing pollution, they are keeping the U.S. on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology,' said Mike Williams, senior fellow on the energy and environment team at public policy and advocacy group the Center for American Progress. 'Canceling these important projects will raise energy prices for consumers and sacrifice thousands of high-quality union jobs, all because the president wants to curry favor with Big Oil.' Evan Gillespie, partner at decarbonization organization, Industrious Labs, said the move dismantles the economy and the future of American manufacturing and its workforce. 'Killing these projects means more emissions, more pollution, and more people getting sick,' he said. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn . Reach her at . ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
The Department of Energy axes $3.7 billion in clean energy project grants
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday he canceled nearly $4 billion in project grants, in another massive blow to clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in the U.S. under President Donald Trump 's administration. The grants, largely awarded during former President Joe Biden 's final few months in the White House, were primarily for programs to capture carbon emissions and store them underground. Other targeted efforts span cleaner cement, natural gas and more. Some of the 24 canceled awards include $500 million to Heidelberg Materials US, Inc.; $375 million to Eastman Chemical Company; $95 million to Nevada Gold Mines, LLC; and $270 million to Sutter CCUS, among others, according to a list provided by the Department of Energy. Sublime Systems, which lost an $87 million grant, was 'surprised and disappointed,' the company said in a statement. 'Today's action is bad for U.S. competitiveness in the global market and also directly contradictory to the administration's stated goals of supporting energy production and environmental innovation,' said Conrad Schneider, a senior director at the Clean Air Task Force. It 'undercuts U.S. competitiveness at a time when there is a growing global market for cleaner industrial products and technologies.' The news was a swift follow-up to plans the Energy Department announced earlier this month to review 179 funded projects, totaling over $15 billion, that were awarded by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations created under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. It is part of Wright's pledge to ensure 'responsible' spending — aligning with the government's broader efficiency and cost-cutting measures, such as those recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has significantly impacted federal research, workers and agencies. 'While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment," Wright said in Friday's statement. Moreover, the announcement marks the latest of the administration's attacks on clean energy, broadly, and its effort to slash federal support for projects addressing climate change. The Trump administration has taken an ax to Biden-era environmental ambitions, rolled back landmark regulations, withdrawn climate project funding, and instead bolstered support for oil and gas production in the name of an 'American energy dominance' agenda. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, called the news 'shortsighted.' Carbon capture has been a controversial climate solution, as skeptics say it enables the continued burning of fossil fuels oil, coal and natural gas that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases — including carbon dioxide — and distracts from the need to cut ties with those energy sources altogether. Though investment in the technology has grown, it also remains challenging to scale. Industry decries the news Organizations quickly decried the secretary's actions, stressing that the cancelations don't align with the administration's goals to bolster domestic manufacturing or energy independence. Jessie Stolark, the executive director of the nonpartisan Carbon Capture Coalition, said the news 'is a major step backward" for carbon management technologies, which are 'crucial to meeting America's growing demand for affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.' 'These projects are not just reducing pollution, they are keeping the U.S. on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology," said Mike Williams, senior fellow on the energy and environment team at public policy and advocacy group the Center for American Progress. "Canceling these important projects will raise energy prices for consumers and sacrifice thousands of high-quality union jobs, all because the president wants to curry favor with Big Oil.' Evan Gillespie, partner at decarbonization organization, Industrious Labs, said the move dismantles the economy and the future of American manufacturing and its workforce. 'Killing these projects means more emissions, more pollution, and more people getting sick,' he said. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ___ ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
The Department of Energy axes $3.7 billion in clean energy project grants
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday he canceled nearly $4 billion in project grants, in another massive blow to clean energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts in the U.S. under President Donald Trump's administration. The grants, largely awarded during former President Joe Biden's final few months in the White House, were primarily for programs to capture carbon emissions and store them underground. Other targeted efforts span cleaner cement, natural gas and more. Some of the 24 canceled awards include $500 million to Heidelberg Materials US, Inc.; $375 million to Eastman Chemical Company; $95 million to Nevada Gold Mines, LLC; and $270 million to Sutter CCUS, among others, according to a list provided by the Department of Energy. Sublime Systems, which lost an $87 million grant, was 'surprised and disappointed,' the company said in a statement. 'Today's action is bad for U.S. competitiveness in the global market and also directly contradictory to the administration's stated goals of supporting energy production and environmental innovation,' said Conrad Schneider, a senior director at the Clean Air Task Force. It 'undercuts U.S. competitiveness at a time when there is a growing global market for cleaner industrial products and technologies.' The news was a swift follow-up to plans the Energy Department announced earlier this month to review 179 funded projects, totaling over $15 billion, that were awarded by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations created under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. It is part of Wright's pledge to ensure 'responsible' spending — aligning with the government's broader efficiency and cost-cutting measures, such as those recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency, which has significantly impacted federal research, workers and agencies. 'While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment,' Wright said in Friday's statement. Moreover, the announcement marks the latest of the administration's attacks on clean energy, broadly, and its effort to slash federal support for projects addressing climate change. The Trump administration has taken an ax to Biden-era environmental ambitions, rolled back landmark regulations, withdrawn climate project funding, and instead bolstered support for oil and gas production in the name of an 'American energy dominance' agenda. Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, called the news 'shortsighted.' Carbon capture has been a controversial climate solution, as skeptics say it enables the continued burning of fossil fuels oil, coal and natural gas that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases — including carbon dioxide — and distracts from the need to cut ties with those energy sources altogether. Though investment in the technology has grown, it also remains challenging to scale. Industry decries the news Organizations quickly decried the secretary's actions, stressing that the cancelations don't align with the administration's goals to bolster domestic manufacturing or energy independence. Jessie Stolark, the executive director of the nonpartisan Carbon Capture Coalition, said the news 'is a major step backward' for carbon management technologies, which are 'crucial to meeting America's growing demand for affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.' 'These projects are not just reducing pollution, they are keeping the U.S. on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology,' said Mike Williams, senior fellow on the energy and environment team at public policy and advocacy group the Center for American Progress. 'Canceling these important projects will raise energy prices for consumers and sacrifice thousands of high-quality union jobs, all because the president wants to curry favor with Big Oil.' Evan Gillespie, partner at decarbonization organization, Industrious Labs, said the move dismantles the economy and the future of American manufacturing and its workforce. 'Killing these projects means more emissions, more pollution, and more people getting sick,' he said. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at [email protected]. ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump just took aim at the one climate solution Republicans love
Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Friday announced that his department would cancel $3.7 billion in grants awarded to 24 projects that were primarily directed at helping companies decarbonize or implement carbon capture and sequestration technology, one of the few climate solutions that many Republicans can agree on. The action comes despite the fact that Congressional Republicans are leaving tax credits largely intact for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in draft legislation that otherwise broadly guts other clean energy and decarbonization subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act.
