Jobs created by projects funded in part by the climate law are reportedly at risk in several red districts, as the GOP moves forward with President Donald Trump’s intention to end the clean energy credits in the upcoming budget vote.
CNN reported Friday that some Republicans representing these districts are worried that the GOP budget proposal would kill jobs that benefit their constituents.
Trump has pledged to end Biden’s clean energy legislation and his administration has sought to stop various federal grant programs established by the law with mixed results. However, reversing the tax credits will require congressional action.
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According to the report, some GOP lawmakers are getting behind Biden’s tax credits because they’re bringing billions of dollars of investment and creating several jobs in their districts. However, others want to enable Trump to implement his agenda.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) says he opposes former President Joe Biden’s climate law, but supports the creation of jobs that would result from the development of a Scout Motors electric vehicle in his district.
“I have not discussed this with (the company), but it would be my view from my visit there and understanding of what they’re doing, I think they’re so professional, they can handle it on their own without government subsidy,” Wilson told CNN, while addressing the impact the killing of tax credits would have on the project.
But unlike Wilson, business leaders and experts are not hopeful the projects can sustain without the tax credits.
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Trever Houser, a partner at Rhodium Group, told CNN: “We’ll see a huge number that get canceled” if the tax credits are killed.
“It’s hard to predict exactly which facilities will get canceled, but a bunch of them will,” he added.
Albert Gore, the executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, said the worst possible outcome would be if the factories were built and opened but failed to deliver the anticipated growth and jobs, or if they closed down completely. He added that this would be a terrible outcome for the districts involved.
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AlterNet reached out to the Department of Energy for comment.
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