Environmental and Labor Advocates Gather and Call on Tillis Outside His Greensboro Office
Environmental and labor groups joined in a news conference last week outside U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ offices in Greensboro—and the press took notice. The NC League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) and the labor group BlueGreen Alliance made the case for Tillis to oppose the elimination of clean energy tax credits and energy efficiency programs contained in Trump’s Big Ugly Tax Bill.
Personal Story Highlights the Stakes
“When I was recovering from cancer treatment, my energy bill cost me nearly $450 a month. That’s high for anyone, but especially for a mother of three fighting just to stay alive,” Crystal Barnes, a resident of Winston-Salem, said during the conference. She shared that her energy bill was cut in half after she discovered the Weatherization Assistance Program, which made her home “more energy efficient” by upgrading insulation and light bulbs, and replacing her outdated HVAC unit. Under one version of the tax bill now under review, that program would be eliminated.
NCLCV Warns of Job Loss and Economic Impact
Dan Crawford – NCLCV’s director of governmental relations – kicked off the news conference, telling participants and reporters that, “As it’s currently written, the Congressional reconciliation bill stops clean energy progress in its tracks. It could cost North Carolina tens of thousands of jobs by 2030, along with billions in clean energy investments spurred by clean energy and manufacturing tax credits.”
BlueGreen Alliance Cites $30 Billion in Investment
Thom Kay, the BlueGreen Alliance energy transition policy manager, spoke for the group, a non-profit that unifies labor unions and environmental organizations to fight climate change and works to protect public health, oppose economic and racial inequality, and develop union jobs across the country.
“By our best estimates, North Carolina has benefitted from more than $30 billion of private investment related to these federal investments and tax credits,” Kay said. “These are already working to strengthen our state’s position as a leader in energy and manufacturing.”
Crawford: Preserve Clean Energy and Lower Costs
In his remarks, NCLCV’s Crawford directly called on Tillis to act on behalf of his constituents. “As people who work on behalf of North Carolinians’ right to clean air, clean water, affordable clean energy, and good jobs for working people, we’re here today to call on Senator Thom Tillis to stand up for our workers and our incredible clean energy economy, instead of tax cuts for billionaires.”
Crawford noted that “repealing the credits could also raise electricity costs for North Carolina families by $200 per year. This is unacceptable. Hard-working North Carolinians are already paying too much for electricity.”
Instead, he pointed out, North Carolina’s ratepayers will benefit by our state’s continued access to the tax credits because they promote less expensive means of generating power. “For example, the cost of solar and wind power has dropped so much that it is now 50% cheaper than electricity from fossil fuels. And when you pair solar with batteries like those being produced in North Carolina, it provides reliable energy. If clean energy tax credits remain, Americans will save $38 billion on electricity bills by 2030. Already, 3.4 million American families have saved more than $8.4 billion on clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades that lower their energy costs.”
Fight for Clean Energy
If this work is important to you, there are two ways you can join the fight for clean energy. First, you can call on Senator Tillis to stand by his word and protect the clean energy tax credits. After you’ve contacted him, take your advocacy to the next level by becoming a recurring donor.
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