Trump’s federal tax bill undermines critical environmental protections, economic progress in the South 

The big, not-so-beautiful bill includes “pay to play” for polluters, eliminating oversight, and stripping funding for clean energy.  

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives has passed a budget reconciliation bill that inflicts a barrage of cuts and imposes policy moves that will impact everyone who cares about our clean air, clean water, public lands, and fighting climate change.  

The version of the bill that passed this morning includes even deeper cuts that would effectively eliminate clean energy tax credits. This is a bad decision that will hurt communities in the South that have seen huge economic investments and new manufacturing jobs as a direct result of these programs.  

The Southern Environmental Law Center is calling on the Senate to do the right thing and restore these fundamental protections in that chamber’s version of the bill.  

“The House-passed bill puts the health of our clean air, water, forests, and economic progress in the South on the line. Now, will the Senate listen to their many constituents concerned about being denied affordable clean energy, about their public resources sold off, and about allowing polluters to pay their way out of the environmental review process?” said  SELC Federal Affairs Director Nat Mund.   

SELC’s energy, public lands, and climate experts are available for interviews. More information on how this bill would hurt states in the South is available here.  

SELC is especially concerned with these provisions in the bill: 

•  Gutting clean energy tax credits: The bill would effectively repeal clean energy tax credits that have driven one of the fastest-growing sectors of the US economy. This will increase costs for consumers and create uncertainty that will hurt investments in the South. 

• “Pay to Play” for polluters: The bill allows polluters to avoid oversight by paying a fee, dramatically limiting judicial review that would ensure they are following the laws. This means less community input, tipping the scale in favor of well-funded corporations at the expense of small businesses, underserved communities, and ecosystems and species that can’t speak for themselves. 

• Eliminate EV tax credits: The bill zeros out consumer tax credits for zero emissions vehicles, an essential resource for middle- and low-income families. This will hurt the domestic auto manufacturing industry and reduce adoption of cleaner cars. 

• Threats to public lands: The bill rescinds Inflation Reduction Act funding meant to protect Old Growth forests, one of our most important resources to sequester carbon. It also cuts the Forest Legacy Program which funds voluntary conservation easements, undoing decades of bipartisan conservation success in the South.