Energy Department to Gut Funding for Solar and Wind Projects

The Energy Department plans to eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for major renewable and efficiency projects this year, the latest move by the Trump administration to undo efforts to shift the nation away from fossil fuels.

The cuts, which would take money away from projects budgeted for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, focus on solar and wind projects, as well as state and local assistance for low-income families, according to an Energy Department document reviewed by The New York Times and Democratic lawmakers in Washington. Critics argue that the moves are illegal because Congress had previously approved the funding for specific projects.

In a joint statement about the funding changes, ranking Democrats on the Senate and House energy subcommittees called it a “reckless decision” and demanded the agency immediately reverse its action. They argued that the moves would harm efforts to strengthen U.S. energy independence and drive up costs for all consumers.

“This outrageous, unlawful decision by the Trump administration is a direct attack on our energy independence and American families’ ability to afford their monthly energy bill,” wrote Senator Patty Murray, Democrat from Washington, and Representative Marcy Kaptur, an Ohio Democrat. “This isn’t a bureaucratic misstep — it’s a deliberate, partisan effort to sabotage bipartisan law and redirect funding.”

In response to inquiries about the cuts, an Energy Department spokeswoman said in a statement that the agency is working to “instill a culture of transparence, performance and common sense.”

“The Department of Energy is working to advance its critical mission of unleashing affordable, reliable and secure energy for all Americans while increasing efficiency and promoting better stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” the spokeswoman said. The new funding levels “help ensure that the Department accomplishes its critical mission for the American people.”