MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called on the Trump Administration to reverse their politically motivated cancellation of $645 million in funding for Minnesota energy projects. The letter comes after the White House announced it was canceling energy infrastructure awards only in states that did not support President Trump in the presidential election, including Minnesota.
“Electricity bills have already jumped nearly 10% since the Trump administration took office. Your decision to cancel federal investment that is meant to upgrade our aging electric grid and help get new power sources connected to meet new demand is only going to punish households with even higher electricity bills in the months and years to come,” wrote Senators Smith and Klobuchar.
“At a time when most Minnesotans and Americans are just trying to scrape together enough money to pay their bills and live their lives, this kind of politically motivated attack on our state is just going to make it that much harder for them to pay their utility bills every month. That is not securing American energy dominance, and it will not advance President Trump’s stated commitment to delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people. We ask you to reverse course and reinstate these funds immediately,” the Senators concluded.
Some of the Minnesota projects that had their funding canceled include:
- $464 million to build new electrical transmission lines connecting power sources across Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas
- $50 million to upgrade an out-of-date, aging electrical transmission line connecting Minnesota and North Dakota so more power can flow efficiently
- $80 million for battery systems designed to run over multiple days to make sure power is running through Minnesota’s electrical grid at all times
- $1.7 million to research ways to ensure solar projects save people money and preserve local ecosystems
You can read the full text of the letter here or below.
Dear Secretary Wright,
We urge you to reverse your announced termination of more than $600 million in Department of Energy grants for Minnesota projects. Losing these grants will mean higher electricity rates for Minnesotans. Cancelling these projects will also stifle American innovation, destroy jobs, and drive people’s electricity bills higher. Reporting also indicates that you are considering additional terminations, amounting to billions of dollars more in lost energy infrastructure funding across Minnesota and the country. We urge you to reverse course on those cancellations as well.
Electricity bills have already jumped nearly 10% since the Trump administration took office. Your decision to cancel federal investment that is meant to upgrade our aging electric grid and help get new power sources connected to meet new demand is only going to punish households with even higher electricity bills in the months and years to come.
The White House has signaled that these cancellations are targeted at states that did not support President Trump in the presidential election. Despite this blatantly partisan attack, the truth is, the Minnesota-led grants you have terminated will not just hurt Minnesotans. Terminating grants for these projects meant to help support grid reliability and lower energy costs will be felt nationwide, regardless of whether people live in a “blue” or “red” state. Americans in states like South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska are going to feel the brunt of your decision to cancel these Minnesota-led projects.
At a time when most Minnesotans and Americans are just trying to scrape together enough money to pay their bills and live their lives, this kind of politically motivated attack on our state is just going to make it that much harder for them to pay their utility bills every month. That is not securing American energy dominance, and it will not advance President Trump’s stated commitment to delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people. We ask you to reverse course and reinstate these funds immediately.
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