Nessel joins coalition of 11 states urging Congress not to defund Inflation Reduction Act

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel?has joined a coalition of 11 states in calling on Congress to protect the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) from harmful budget cuts.?

“The Inflation Reduction Act will provide the necessary funding to help states respond to climate-related events and convert to cleaner energy sources,” Nessel said. “Any cuts to monies authorized by this legislation could jeopardize the efforts to support expanding opportunities for clean energy jobs and entrepreneurship in local communities. I stand firmly with my colleagues in asking Congress to maintain robust funding for this legislation.”

In August 2022, President Biden signed into law the IRA, the nation’s largest-ever investment in addressing climate change. The IRA directs hundreds of billions of dollars nationwide toward climate solutions, providing significant incentives for clean energy, energy efficiency, and more. ?

The letter asks Congress to reject cuts proposed by House leadership that threaten the IRA’s ability to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create good, green jobs. Proposed cuts could rescind over $20 billion authorized by the IRA.

The multistate coalition opposes cuts to programs that would, among other things:

• Help rural small businesses and agricultural producers convert to renewable energy and make energy cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable for Americans living in rural areas.

• Spur economic opportunity in disadvantaged communities while also reducing pollution, and encouraging clean energy technology.

• Help low- to moderate-income families transition to cleaner homes and appliances.

Proposed cuts to various federal agencies’ budgets, including the Council on Environmental Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, Treasury, and the Department of Labor, could also hinder the effective roll-out of these and other programs under the IRA.? ?

Funding to implement the IRA is important to ensure that the progress made on climate goals benefits—and does not further burden—disadvantaged and low-wealth communities.  

On the anniversary of the IRA, the White House announced that in its first year, over 170,000 clean energy jobs have already been created nationwide, and that the law is estimated to create 1.5 million jobs over the first decade of its implementation.

The letter was led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy?Campbell and joined by Nessel and the attorneys general of Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.