Rep. Takano Blasts Trump’s Cancelation of $1 Billion+ in California Clean Energy Grants
RIVERSIDE, CA — Today, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after the Department of Energy (DOE) terminated grants that total more than $1,000,000,000 for University of California institutions including UC, Riverside, to lead the way for the transition to clean, cheap energy:
“Trump’s campaign of political retribution continues, this time canceling grants which will halt projects that boost clean energy production. These much-needed investments create jobs, lower energy costs, and help invest in the future of energy right here in the Inland Empire.
“Trump needs to reopen the government and fix the healthcare crisis the GOP created. In my district, 48,275 people will lose health coverage because of Republican cuts to Medi-Cal?in the Big Ugly Law and their plot to gut the Affordable Care Act, and 21,000 people will see their premiums dramatically spike in just two months.
“Instead of cowardly attacking middle-class jobs here in California, Trump needs to cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save healthcare.”
Background on Canceled Grants
California-Based Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) was selected as a finalist for a DOE funding apart of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (H2Hub) program. The California consortium was in negotiations to secure an estimated $1.2 billion in federal funding secured by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The California Hydrogen Hub would have introduced clean hydrogen energy to heavy duty transport, trucking, port operations, and public transportation. The Hub aimed to reduce carbon emissions by 2 million metric tons per year – the equivalent of the annual emissions of 445,000 gas powered cars.
“Today’s decision to withdraw federal funding for ARCHES ignores the critical benefits our projects will deliver – including 220,000 American jobs and stronger national energy security and resilience. The ARCHES Ecosystem and Marketplace will continue to advance in collaboration with state leaders and private sector innovators – building on our strong foundation to create a reliable, future-focused domestic hydrogen network for California and beyond,” said ARCHES CEO, Angelina Galiteva.
UC, Riverside will lose a $6 million federal grant to develop advanced catalytic technology to reduce Earth-warming methane pollution in the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
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