EPA halts Solar For All program, freezes $156M to Nevada Clean Energy Fund
RENO, Nev. — More than 50,000 Nevadans who would have relied on solar energy and thus received lower energy bills are now out of that option after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) terminated its Solar For All program.
“One thing that’s important to note for Solar For All is that it was required in the program to reduce household energy costs by at least 20% for low-income and moderate-income households,” Coalition Coordinator for the Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition (NEJC) Jackie Spicer said.
The $156 million awarded to the Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) would also have created almost 1,000 jobs in the state. But with that funding now frozen, those jobs are on hold as well.
In a rare move seemingly in opposition to the Trump Administration’s actions, republican Gov. Joe Lombardo sent a letter this week to the Secretary of Interior asking for guidance on the changes to solar energy development on federal lands.
“I think what that demonstrates is how bipartisan renewable energy should be. It’s something that makes sense to lower costs for Nevadans and it’s something that everybody should be on board with. So what the Trump Administration is doing is really out of touch with what Nevadans want on both sides of the aisle,” Toiyabe Chapter Director for the Sierra Club Olivia Tanager said.
The letter comes as Nevada has several solar projects in the works, including the Libra Solar Project near Yerington.
The NCEF says it is expecting legal action to be taken to restore access to terminated Solar For All grants. In the meantime, it says it will continue to provide services to the community through its other programs using other funding sources.
“There’s a big question here over the legality of the EPA rescinding the Solar For All money, and so I would expect that people are going to fight this in court. I know my organization is very upset with what’s happening and there are questions about the legality of rescinding this money,” Tanager said.