WISCONSIN — Clean energy advocates from Forward Together Wisconsin, BlueGreen Alliance, Clean Wisconsin, and Elevate today hosted a virtual media conference to discuss the potential impacts of the Reconciliation Bill, the most destructive environmental bill in history. If passed as-is, this legislation will threaten the progress Wisconsin has made building a new clean energy economy with good local jobs and affordable energy and increase dangerous emissions that hurt our communities.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, President of Forward Together Wisconsin, said, “With this legislation, Republicans are creating an energy shortage and sending utility costs through the roof, making us more dependent on foreign oil and killing thousands of good-paying manufacturing jobs, all while polluting our air and water. But this Republican Rate Hike comes at a huge cost to the politicians voting for it, too. Voters will be reminded every day exactly who it was that hiked up their costs and eliminated jobs in their own backyard—all to give billionaires another tax break.”
Carly Eaton, Wisconsin Policy Manager for BlueGreen Alliance, stated that, “Supporting clean energy investments really directly means supporting working, blue-collar people across Wisconsin and across the country. The move to repeal these investments means lost jobs in construction and manufacturing. Pulling back on these projects will reverse the gains hard-working American people and businesses have seen from this law, risking jobs, economic growth, and energy affordability, and it’s all to pad the pockets of billionaires.”
Heather Allen, Senior Policy Director for Elevate, noted that, “This bill is the most destructive environmental bill in history. At a time when homeowners are already struggling, this legislation could raise energy bills by almost $400 per year, especially in rural and energy-burdened communities. This bill is an attack on small businesses that are delivering clean energy solutions to help families and it also eliminates certainty for solar installers, manufacturers, builders, and contractors.”
Amy Barrilleaux, Communications Director for Clean Wisconsin, concluded that, “This bill doesn’t make any kind of economic sense for anyone. Ripping away tax incentives for wind and solar farms, rooftop solar, farm sustainability programs, clean cars and school buses, and giving more tax breaks to big oil and gas companies does absolutely nothing to create jobs or opportunity here. Instead, propping up expensive coal, oil, and gas companies while stifling clean and inexpensive wind and solar will likely create a real energy crisis.”
A recording of the event can be viewed at the link below using passcode: vsV@1P3v
