Christine Ho, christine.ho@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C. - According to Politico, the U.S. Department of Energy is planning to eliminate $800 million in funding for renewable energy projects including electric vehicle charging infrastructure, wind turbines, and solar panels, and funding for four hydrogen hubs in Democrat-leaning states.
Under the Biden Administration, 400,000 jobs were created in the renewable energy sector, and as of 2023, 3.5 million Americans work in renewable energy jobs. An analysis estimates in the first months of his presidency, Donald Trump’s policies have already halted or killed 42,000 jobs. Another study shows that if these same bad policies continue, over nine million stable, good-paying jobs will be at risk.
Also as a result of these critical investments, renewable energy production in the U.S. hit historic levels last year, making up nearly a quarter of total domestic energy production.
In response, Sierra Club Director of Climate Policy Patrick Drupp issued the following statement:
“Every project Chris Wright and Donald Trump are planning to end represents stable, well-paying jobs created for Americans. By halting these projects, Wright and Trump are robbing Americans of their livelihoods, their financial security, and their opportunity to thrive in their careers in the green economy.
“Chris Wright and Donald Trump are not ending these projects to give money back to taxpayers. They are doing this because they see, like we do, that clean energy is efficient, affordable, and quickly catching up to fossil fuels in production. They are protecting their friends and donors in the fossil fuel industry, and hardworking Americans are the collateral.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.