Today, Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), Alma Adams (NC-12), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Don Davis (NC-01) condemned the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) reported plans to rescind $7 billion in funding from the Solar for All program, which was created to expand access to solar energy in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The Members emphasized the devastating economic and environmental consequences this decision would have for North Carolina and urged the Administrator to immediately reverse it.
In their letter, the Members wrote: “At a time when energy costs and demand are both rapidly increasing, it is concerning that your agency is considering an action that may violate federal law—Congress has already appropriated the funding—and would increase household energy costs for millions of Americans while jeopardizing thousands of jobs across a wide cross section of states.”
The EPA’s website states that the program is on track to serve over 900,000 households, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and deliver cost savings on energy bills.
North Carolina is a major recipient of these funds. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), along with its coalition partners (the NC Clean Energy Fund, the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, and Advanced Energy), have an award agreement with EPA obligating $156 million in funding to the state to design and implement the North Carolina’s Solar for All program.
The members concluded: “North Carolina has long been a leader in the clean energy economy, and this Administration’s actions over the past seven months are putting billions of dollars in economic investment in our state at risk. Again, we strongly urge you to reconsider this reckless and illegal course of action.”
This letter is supported by the Environmental Defense Fund and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
“North Carolinians are experiencing record-high energy bills, rising costs driven largely by our reliance on fossil fuel power plants. The Solar for All program is aimed squarely at lowering household energy costs, recognizing that clean energy is more affordable than outdated, polluting power sources. Cancelling these funds will make it harder for working families to afford their utility bills,” said David Kelly, North Carolina State Director of the Environmental Defense Fund.
"This program is putting energy on the grid at a time when we need all the power we can get. It’s creating jobs and lowering residential power bills at a time that families need to save every dollar they can. And it's making North Carolina more resilient as it recovers from Hurricane Helene, which emphasized the importance for families to have the choice to power their own homes. The entire state has a lot to lose if Solar for All is stripped away,” said David Neal, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center.
The full text of the letter can be found here.