WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is canceling $7.6 billion in grants that supported hundreds of clean energy projects in 16 states, all of which voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election.
The cuts were announced in a social media post late Wednesday by Russell Vought, the White House budget director: 'Nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled.'
This drastic measure aligns with President Donald Trump's ongoing conflict with congressional Democrats concerning the federal government shutdown.
Organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council indicate that these cuts will seriously undermine initiatives like battery plants, hydrogen technology projects, upgrades to the electric grid, and carbon-capture efforts.
According to the Energy Department, 223 projects were terminated after a review concluded they did not significantly meet national energy needs or lacked economic viability.
Among the projects cut, $1.2 billion was earmarked for California’s hydrogen hub project aimed at accelerating hydrogen technology. This major investment from the private sector, totaling $10 billion, is now in jeopardy, threatening over 200,000 jobs, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Governor Newsom expressed strong opposition: 'Clean hydrogen deserves to be part of California’s energy future — creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs and saving billions in health costs.'
California Senator Alex Padilla criticized the cuts as vindictive, stating they prove the administration is not serious about American energy leadership.
The Department of Energy highlighted the review process of the billions in grants initiated by Biden's administration after Trump assumed office in November. The analysis observed that more than a quarter of the canceled projects were awarded between Election Day and Inauguration Day, totaling over $3.1 billion.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright remarked that the cancellations align with Trump’s promise to save taxpayer dollars and ensure a secure energy supply.
Critics, including environmental activists, have blasted the cuts for potentially increasing energy costs and stifling innovation in the clean energy sector. Jackie Wong from NRDC stated, 'This is yet another blow by the Trump administration against innovative technology, jobs and the clean energy needed to meet skyrocketing demand.'
Vought identified the impacted states as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington state.
