Opinion | Repealing clean energy investments would hurt Michigan businesses, workers

As president of Iron Workers Local 25, representing over 5,000 active and retired iron workers across the state of Michigan, I’ve seen an American manufacturing renaissance thanks to federal clean energy tax credits. New factories are sprouting up across the state, creating good jobs building the clean energy technologies of the future. The Republican tax bill now pending in Congress, however, would end these tax credits and destroy the clean energy industry, leading to plants being canceled, jobs lost and energy costs rising for Michiganders. 

Investments in clean energy have enabled our local unions to build back manufacturing in Michigan, create good-paying jobs and drive down energy costs, all while helping America maintain our global competitiveness. This extreme tax bill, however, proposes a total repeal of clean energy credits and investments, putting our jobs at risk. Let’s be clear: this bill is a direct assault on American manufacturing and American-made energy.

Repealing the federal investments that are propelling the United States to the forefront of the clean energy competition would set our country back and threaten the livelihoods of the millions of Americans who work in clean energy. We’re seeing this happen in real time: Trump’s attacks on clean energy have canceled or threatened more than 62,000 clean energy jobs and more than $71 billion in investments across the country.

The evidence is clear that clean energy tax credits are good for American businesses and workers. Dozens of companies announced plans to manufacture EV batteries in the US to qualify for tax credits for domestically produced EVs. American manufacturing requirements are encouraging automakers to onshore production, creating American jobs. This could all go away if the clean energy tax credits are repealed. 

These investments and tax credits deliver what Michiganders want. A recent poll showed that when Michigan voters were asked if it would hurt Michigan’s economy if China became the world leader in EV manufacturing, 65% said it would hurt Michigan’s economy, while just 22% said it would have no impact. 

In March, 21 Republican members of Congress, including Michigan’s John James, wrote a letter to the House tax-writing chairman in support of the clean energy tax credits that have brought direct benefits to so many parts of the country.

They wrote, “We strongly support the Administration’s America First national energy dominance initiative. Continued energy expansion and innovation is necessary to bolster national security, create good-paying American jobs, and guarantee energy independence.” 

Yet when push came to shove, these Republicans didn’t stand up for workers and everyday Americans. The House passed this dangerous bill by a 215-214 vote, meaning that both Rep. John James and Rep. Tom Barrett had the power to cast a decisive vote and chose to back billionaires over constituents like me and the members of Local 25.

The 2022 clean energy plan was written to support unions like mine, making sure that American workers don’t get left behind. Under that clean energy plan, projects that pay prevailing wages and hire registered apprentices to work on clean energy projects will receive a fivefold increase in clean energy deployment tax credits.

Repealing these tax credits would hit Michiganders at home, too. More than three-quarters of households say they’re overwhelmed by their energy payments. The clean energy tax credits help lower costs: 3.4 million American families have already saved more than $8.4 billion on clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades that lower their energy costs. 

Trump already effectively killed the program responsible for helping six million low-income Americans pay their heating and cooling bills. That sends a clear message about the president’s priorities. Repealing critical clean energy investments would increase annual energy costs by $240 for every family by 2030—that’s $32 billion more in total household energy costs. 

Investing in clean energy will create jobs and lower costs, while repealing these investments would be bad for businesses and workers here in Michigan. If we want to build an economically prosperous future for our kids, we need to preserve America’s competitive edge in clean energy. We deserve an explanation from our representatives in Washington, like John James and Tom Barrett, on why they think workers like me and my members are less important than giveaways to billionaires.