Politics – USA
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to phase out federal subsidies for green energy like wind and solar farms, citing unsustainability for the grid and too much reliance on foreign adversaries.
“For too long, the federal government has forced American taxpayers to subsidize expensive and unreliable energy sources like wind and solar. The proliferation of these projects displaces affordable, reliable, dispatchable domestic energy sources, compromises our electric grid, and denigrates the beauty of our nation’s natural landscape,” the order says.
The order says these types of clean energy compromise the nation in a number of ways.
“Moreover, reliance on so-called green subsidies threatens national security by making the United States dependent on supply chains controlled by foreign adversaries. Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts to unreliable energy sources is vital to energy dominance, national security, economic growth, and the fiscal health of the nation.”
In his directive, Trump said it is the policy of the United States to rapidly eliminate the market distortions and costs imposed on taxpayers by so-called ‘green’ energy subsidies.
The order directs the Treasury Department secretary to take all action deemed necessary and appropriate to strictly enforce the termination of the clean electricity production and investment tax credits within 45 days of enactment of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, passed last week in a marathon session of Congress.
Trump’s order is slated to end all pending projects unless there has been substantial construction that has taken place.
It also directs action to be taken by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
“The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a review of regulations, guidance, policies, and practices under the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction to determine whether any provide preferential treatment to wind and solar facilities in comparison to dispatchable energy sources. The Secretary of the Interior shall then revise any identified regulations, guidance, policies, and practices as appropriate and consistent with applicable law to eliminate any such preferences for wind and solar facilities.”
Clean energy advocates decried the order, saying it sets the country back when it comes to reducing carbon emissions and competing in the global market.
The order comes the same day the U.S. Department of Energy issued a scathing report about grid shortfalls in reliability and security.
