When Jennifer McCoy entered a Drawing for the Free Installation of Home Solar Panels on her Georgia Home, She was desperate for Help with Electric Bills that have soared to more than $500 a month. So Ms. McCoy, 39, was Disappointed when the Drawing was abruptly Canceled. And as a Supporter of Trump (R), She was Shocked by the Reason: His Administration had Revoked $7 billion in Federal Grants intended to Help Low and Moderate Income Families get Access to Solar Energy. “I like a lot of Trump’s outlooks on things, but there are some things, like the solar panels, that I don’t like, now that I know,” Ms. McCoy said in an Interview outside Her Home in Adairsville, Ga., a Town of roughly 4,900 People about Halfway between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennnessee.
In Georgia and across the U.S., Electricity Bills have Skyrocketed in recent months. Yet Trump has Rescinded Billions of Federal Dollars for Renewable Energy like Solar and Wind Power, that could Reduce the Strain on Working-Class Households. And the Cuts are Dealing a Disproportionate Blow to the Republican-led States that propelled Him back to Office. The Solar for All Program is a Prime Example. Established by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the Program was designed to Help more than 900,000 Households get Access to Solar Energy.
The idea was to Reduce the use of Fossil Fuels, the Leading Driver of Climate Change, while also helping participating Households to Save an Average of about $400 Annually on Electric Bills. While Trump has often called Renewable Energy Spending a “Green New Scam,” even Veteran Energy Analysts were Surprised when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Terminated Solar for All. They had assumed that the Initiative would be Safe from Repeal because Republican-led States like Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, had Sought or Received Funding.
“This program was the rainbows and puppies of clean energy — it was truly apolitical,” said Andy Posner, the Founder and Chief Executive of Capital Good Fund, a Nonprofit Group that provides Small Loans to Low-Income People for things like making their Homes more Energy-Efficient. Capital Good Fund leads the Georgia Bright Communities Coalition, a Group of Nonprofits, Local Governments and Businesses that Won a $156 million Solar for All Grant last year. The Group planned to use $12 million from the Grant to hold Two Randomized Drawings for Free Solar Installations for up to 900 Low-Income Georgia Households.
On Monday, Aug. 4th, Georgia Bright opened the First Drawing. Within 24 hours, 500 Households signed up. Three days later, the EPA announced that it was Terminating Solar for All Grants to all 60 Recipients, including Nonprofits, State Agencies and Native American Tribes. Lee Zeldin (R), the EPA Administrator, said in a Video posted to social media that the program was a “boondoggle” that would waste “billions of green slush fund dollars.” Lee Zeldin, E.P.A. administrator, has frequently Criticized Solar Power. The Abrupt Policy Shift in Washington, Lit-Up the Group chats of Grant Recipients across the Country. In Adairsville, Ms. McCoy Checked Her Phone and saw an email from Georgia Bright saying the Drawing was now On-Hold.
Georgia Power has Increased its Residential Rates Six times in the past Two years, largely to Cover the Costs of a Nuclear Power Plant Expansion that ran $17 billion over Budget. But Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced in May, that the Utility had reached a Deal with State Regulators to Freeze Base Rates for the Next Three years. John Kraft, a Spokesman for Georgia Power, said in an email that the Utility was “keeping electricity affordable for our customers” and that the Nuclear Plant Expansion was “a long-term investment in reliable, emission free energy.” He said the Freeze would Protect Customers from Future Cost Increases tied to New Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centers.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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