Gov. Evers Calls on Trump To Preserve $1.5 Billion in Wisconsin Energy Grants
U.S. Department of Energy anticipates scaling up earlier announced cuts.
Governor Tony Evers in a media scrum on Oct. 11, 2022. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Gov. Tony Evers is calling on the Trump administration to preserve more than $1.5 billion in federal energy grants allocated in Wisconsin.
The U.S. Department of Energy is reportedly considering terminating more than 600 Biden-era funding awards across the country that total almost $24 billion. That’s up from the agency’s announcement earlier this month that it would terminate 321 financial awards totaling about $7.5 billion in funding.
Among the more than 600 potential terminations are 22 awards to Wisconsin companies, organizations and projects that collectively could face more than $1.5 billion in lost funding, according to the governor’s office and a document obtained by business publication Latitude Media.
Evers sent a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Tuesday, urging the administration to reconsider any plans to halt Department of Energy funding previously allocated to projects and organizations in the state.
“Terminating these funding awards at a time of record-high energy demand and rising costs would be counterintuitive, reckless, and ill-advised,” Evers wrote. “I urge you to reaffirm DOE’s commitment to honoring these funding awards and to continue supporting these investments that drive Wisconsin’s and the nation’s energy landscape forward.”
The U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Evers’ letter. In a press release announcing the initial funding termination, Wright said the agency was reviewing billions of dollars in awards “rushed through in the final months of the Biden administration.”
“Rest assured, the Energy Department will continue reviewing awards to ensure that every dollar works for the American people,” Wright said in a statement.
At least two of the organizations identified by the governor’s office as being in danger of losing funding say they haven’t been notified of any changes to their awards.
Madison-based Alliant Energy could lose $80.7 million, according to the document. That’s broken into two awards of $50 million and $30.7 million. The up to $50 million would help bring smart grid technology to rural and underserved communities, while the $30.7 million would support a state-of-the-art energy storage system in Columbia County.
In a statement, Alliant Energy spokesperson Cindy Tomlinson said the utility is aware that the Trump administration and the Department of Energy are “working through their budgets and have notified some businesses of changes to grant announcements.”
“At this time, we have not been made aware of any changes to the announced DOE grants for our Alliant Energy projects,” Tomlinson said. “We are optimistic the value and viability of these projects is clear and that they will remain fully funded. These projects deliver economic and customer benefits.”
La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative could lose $28 million, according to the document. That money would support the development of three battery storage facilities in Dairyland’s rural service area.
Dairyland spokesperson Katie Thomson said in a statement that the cooperative “has not received any communication from the U.S. Department of Energy regarding a change in project status.”
“We remain committed to serving our members and supporting the region with safe, reliable, innovative and cost-competitive electricity,” Thomson said.
Of the awards identified in Wisconsin, the largest potential funding loss would be $925 million for the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, according to the governor’s office. The Heartland Hydrogen Hub is a regional partnership to produce low-carbon hydrogen and create energy and agriculture jobs in six states, including Wisconsin.
The Heartland Hydrogen Hub did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other Wisconsin entities that could lose out on funding include Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Generac Power Systems, Kohler Co., the Universities of Wisconsin and the city of Kaukauna, according to the document and the governor’s office. Those entities either declined to comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Department of Energy awards to those entities included $89 million awarded to Harley to support electric motorcycle manufacturing in Pennsylvania and $33 million to Johnson Controls to support domestic heat pump manufacturing, according to press announcements matching dollar amounts from the governor’s office.
Amy Barrilleaux, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Clean Wisconsin, said the reports reflect the “uncertainty and chaos coming from the Trump administration.” She said it’s another sign of the administration’s preference toward fossil fuels.
“These investments were about looking forward,” she said. “They’re about energy efficiency, about making sure our grid is ready for the demands of climate change and other issues that we’re experiencing right now.”
Alex Beld, a spokesperson for the nonprofit RENEW Wisconsin, said federal funding cuts could slow job growth in the clean energy sector.
A new report from clean energy groups found about 75,000 Wisconsinites work in renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicle manufacturing and other related fields.
“Jobs in that industry are growing at a rate of about four-and-a-half times of the rest of the economy, so we’d be putting that growth at risk,” Beld said.
Editor’s note: Alliant Energy is a sponsor of Wisconsin Public Radio.
Gov. Tony Evers calls on Trump’s energy department to preserve $1.5B in funding was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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