Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly update on FCNL’s environmental advocacy and the climate crisis.
Republican Senators Defend Clean Energy Tax Credits
On April 9, four leading Republican senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD) defending the clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169). They cautioned against a full repeal of the clean energy tax credits.
Instead, Senators Lisa Murkowski (AK), John Curtis (UT), Thom Tillis (NC), and Jerry Moran (KS) urged for the adoption of a pragmatic energy policy. It should prioritize spurring new domestic investment and manufacturing, lowering utility bills for Americans, and guaranteeing certainty and stability for businesses that have already invested in clean energy.
While clean energy tax credits have created more than 400,000 new jobs and sparked $422 billion in investments, they are currently under threat by the Trump administration and members of Congress to further fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
The four senators join 21 House Republican members, who issued a letter last month supporting of clean energy production. This is the first time Republican senators have publicly supported clean energy tax credits.
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News and Updates
Sever Weather Devastates Southern and Midwestern U.S.
Severe weather, including tornadoes and flooding, recently tore through the South and Midwest, spanning from Michigan to Texas. Unrelenting rain has resulted in severe flooding throughout the region, causing what forecasters call “generational flooding.” At least 19 people, mostly in Tennessee, have died.
Scientists have been warning that rising greenhouse gas emissions worsen and make extreme weather events more common. However, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is cutting funds to regions like North Carolina and California which have yet to receive supplemental disaster assistance as they recover from previous disasters.
Trump Administration Cuts Disaster Adaptation Funding
While climate-related disasters continue across the country, FEMA announced that it would not release $750 million in funds for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants. These grants help communities, states, and tribal nations build capacity and resiliency in the face of worsening natural disasters. These grants help communities, states, and tribal nations build capacity and resiliency in the face of worsening natural disasters.
Funding for ongoing BRIC projects would also be stopped. Announced in 2018, BRIC had its first round of funding in 2020 and has since distributed $5 billion in grants.
Research Continues to Highlight the Economic Impact of a Repeal of Clean Energy Tax Credits
As FCNL has previously highlighted, research shows that the repeal of the IRA’s clean energy tax credits will raise average household bills by 10% and cost good-paying jobs. New studies by Rhodium and Energy Innovation reveals that repealing these credits could raise household energy bills by $184 annually by 2030. That increases to $371 by 2035. States like Arizona, Colorado, and Texas will see even higher cost increases. These increases would only further strain families since one-third of American families already report having to make sacrifices to afford their current electricity bills.
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