by Shannon James
The Trump Administration is once again putting fossil fuel profits ahead of people, public health, and the planet. Its latest effort, misleadingly called the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” was a sweeping attack on the clean energy transition: slashing vital tax credits, gutting environmental safeguards, and inserting roadblocks that could stall or kill renewable energy projects nationwide.
At the heart of the rollback are attacks on key provisions of Pres. Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which sparked a nationwide boom in clean energy. Tax credits like the Residential Clean Energy Credit have made rooftop solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades accessible to working families. Under the new law, these incentives disappear by the end of 2025, jeopardizing thousands of solar, wind, and battery projects already underway. The booming clean energy jobs sector faces massive layoffs as projects stall or get canceled.
The Department of the Interior has further escalated this sabotage by requiring personal approval from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum or his deputy for virtually every step of renewable energy development on federal lands. This unprecedented power grab creates a bureaucratic bottleneck, threatening dozens of projects, including major solar developments that could power millions of homes. Even projects starting on private lands but relying on federal grid connections are at risk. The intent is clear: stall projects until clean energy tax credits expire at the end of the year. Without those credits, many projects will collapse, taking jobs, investments, and affordable clean power with them.
While the administration claims these measures restore accountability, the real goal is to prop up fossil fuel corporations at the expense of clean energy. With U.S. electricity demand projected to skyrocket, this blockade of affordable, clean power sources will hurt consumers. Households could see utility bills rise by over $100 next year and more than $400 annually within five years.
Adding insult to injury, the bill introduces a “pay-to-play” scheme allowing fossil fuel companies to bypass environmental reviews by paying fees, which strips communities of their right to protect health and safety, and cultural and natural resources. The bill also cuts funding for pollution cleanup in schools, reduces efforts to remove dirty diesel buses, and undermines air pollution monitoring programs, handing more power and profit to polluters while communities suffer.
The administration also halted new wind leases on federal lands, paused offshore wind projects, and attempted to claw back billions in clean energy funding approved under the IRA. Projects on private land are also facing delays due to increased federal oversight. And now, the EPA has announced it is eliminating $7 billion in Solar for All grants intended to boost energy security in low-income communities by expanding access to bill-lowering solar power. These funds, already appropriated and obligated, were set to benefit states and Tribal nations eagerly awaiting program rollouts.
The Trump Administration’s attack on renewables contradicts its own cries about an “energy emergency.” Rather, it’s a blatant effort to undermine climate action, block clean energy growth, and keep America dependent on dirty fossil fuels. These actions will result in job losses across the country and higher energy bills for homeowners and businesses.
Yet even with the hurdles being imposed, the market continues to favor renewables, recognizing them as the fastest and cheapest way to meet rising electricity demand. MEIC will continue to advocate for this positive transition to clean energy.
This article was published in the September 2025 issue of Down To Earth.
