Gov. Ige Urges Congress to Protect Clean Energy Programs Funding

Under the leadership of Gov. David Ige, the bipartisan U.S. Climate Alliance is strongly urging Congress to protect the U.S. Department of Energy from massive funding cuts proposed by the Trump Administration.

In a clearly worded letter addressed to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the U.S. Climate Alliance described in detail how an “approximate 70% cut to the Department of Energy’s budget for renewable energy and energy efficiency research would be disastrous.”

The Trump Administration’s proposal to slash federal energy programs by 70% is yet another assault on the future of our environment, economy and our keiki. I hope congress will restore this critical funding. No matter what happens at the federal level, Hawaiʻi will continue to fight climate change by cutting carbon emissions and increasing energy efficiency,” said Gov. Ige, following the delivery of the U.S. Climate Alliance letter to Congress.

Hawaiʻi directly benefits from the work and successes of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The office’s critical research in solar energy, electric vehicle, and energy efficiency technologies is helping to move the state closer to a 100% clean energy future.

The U.S. Climate Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of 16 state governors who joined together in the wake of the U.S. federal government’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. The U.S. Climate Alliance remains committed to addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Accord.