‘Fight of our lives': Lobbying intense on climate law credits
The morning after the Senate Finance Committee released a new megabill text that would roll back tax credits for renewable energy development, the solar industry's top lobby group hosted a rally in the shadow of the Capitol.
'Time to storm the Hill!' Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, said Tuesday.
Lobbyists and industry leaders have been in a mad dash to rescue some of the energy tax incentives in the Democrats' 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
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The House's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' passed last month, would roll back many of the credits dramatically. And a Senate draft is not much better for sources like wind and solar.
SEIA's rally included workers and leaders for dozens of companies before marching to meet with lawmakers and aides. It was the group's eighth lobbying day this year.
'We are in a fight for our lives,' Hopper told the crowd, saying that 330,000 jobs are at stake.
Trade groups and other advocates have been releasing studies warning about the legislation's potential harms to projects and employment, particularly in red states.
The legislation's real effects remain a moving target because Republican leaders have promised to keep tweaking their tax, energy and border spending package.
'We are not at the end. We had that language come out of the Senate Finance [Committee] last night, but we are not finished,' she said. 'I would not ask you to travel here, take time away from your families, take time away from your businesses, if I thought that this was done. This is not done. You have the opportunity today … to tell these legislators what this means to you.'
Hopper told reporters that the Finance Committee draft represented 'some steps toward progress, but it is far from acceptable.'
'A real frenzy'
Companies and groups thought Republicans and President Donald Trump would ease from targeting climate law credits because of their economic impact. The House bill was a wake-up call, said Mike Carr, a lobbyist at Boundary Stone Partners who represents companies in solar, batteries and related fields.
'I think there was a general assumption that … they weren't going to pull the rug out from it,' Carr said. 'And the House bill really did pull the rug out from a lot of this.'
Since the House passed its bill, it's been all hands on deck, Carr said. 'There's been a real frenzy since then, trying to help people understand how much is on the line, how many jobs could potentially be lost in various sectors.'
Other major organizations fighting for the energy incentives include the American Clean Power Association and the American Council on Renewable Energy.
'While the Senate Finance Committee proposal eliminates poison pills from the House legislation, abrupt changes to the clean energy tax credits unnecessarily penalize companies that are making good faith investments under current law,' ACP CEO Jason Grumet said in a statement.
The Edison Electric Institute thanked the Finance Committee for its work but made it clear that it sees room for improvements.
'Financial certainty and access to cost-effective financing are critical tools for electric companies as they continue to make needed investments to meet rising customer demand and to expand generation capacity,' said Pat Vincent-Collawn, the group's interim CEO.
The group had taken a dimmer view of the House version, particularly around sourcing requirements, the short timeline for ending credits and tax credit transferability.
Big business groups like the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have been mostly supportive of the congressional Republicans' efforts, but have also been pushing for longer timeframes for some tax credits, including for hydrogen and carbon capture.
Before the Senate bill was released, the Chamber wrote in a post that the group would 'continue to urge policymakers to preserve pro-growth tax policies that enhance U.S. energy competitiveness and security, including credits for clean hydrogen production and carbon oxide sequestration, as well as technology-neutral credits to help meet the country's rapidly growing demand for electricity generation.'
Republican group
Republicans launched a new group called Built for America this month to advocate for the energy incentives from a conservative viewpoint.
The $2 million campaign, led by former West Virginia Lt. Gov. Mitch Carmichael and former Trump campaign adviser Bryan Lanza, is putting advertisements in conservative platforms like Fox News and Truth Social, which is owned by the president.
'Trump country is booming. We're building, hiring and winning in America, because energy tax credits put America first,' one of the ads says.
Another group called Advanced Energy United launched a six-figure campaign of its own targeting a handful of Senate Republicans with digital ads. That group is backed by major technology firms like Microsoft, automakers like Ford and other firms like NRG.
'Repealing these tax credits would devastate local economies, raise energy costs, and hand the keys of energy leadership to China — and the Senate now has a choice to make,' Harry Godfrey, the group's managing director for federal priorities, said in a statement.
New lobbyists hired
A number of companies and associations have retained new lobbyists in recent months to fight for the credits they support, according to disclosures filed with Congress.
They include battery maker Energizer Holdings, chemical manufacturer Johnson Matthey, the Hydrogen Jobs Now Coalition, battery recycler Ecobat and the Clean Energy Buyers Association.
The far-right House Freedom Caucus pointed to news that Energizer had retained a slate of Democratic lobbyists from Washington Council Ernst & Young.
'This should tell Republicans everything you need to know: The Swamp isn't even hiring Republicans to lobby on preserving the #GreenNewScam IRA tax subsidies,' the caucus wrote on X.
Those pushing to terminate the tax credits have their advocates too. Pro-fossil fuel activist Alex Epstein has been involved, and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) called him an 'enormous help' in rolling back the credits in the House bill.
Epstein was disappointed in the Senate Finance Committee draft. 'Sad update' he wrote on X, outlining his view of the changes.
'Nothing is set in stone yet, there's still time for Congress to do the right thing. Tell your Senator,' he added.
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