Conservative think tank Heritage Foundation debuts sweeping plan to undo many tax credits and renewable energy subsidies of the IRA.
By Leah Garden
July 31, 2023
A broad coalition of conservatives — including policy experts, lobbyists and political advisers — have joined together to create Project 2025, a movement meant to guide the political agenda of the next Republican elected to the White House.
Spearheaded by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025’s gameplan is meticulously detailed in its manifesto, "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise." One goal of the 920-page book — on sale for $35 on the Heritage Foundation’s website — is to spell out precisely how the next conservative president should impede the progress of the renewable energy sector and other "progressive" climate initiatives in their first 180 days in office.
Examples range from doing away with energy efficiency standards for appliances to completely eliminating entire departments, such as the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (created in 1992).
To that end, Bernard McNamee, a former Trump-appointed Department of Energy (DOE) official with no previous regulatory experience, penned Chapter 12 of the book, "Department of Energy and Related Commissions." He directly advises repealing the Inflation Reduction Act because it "established new programs and [is] providing hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to renewable energy developers, their investors and special interests."
McNamee also proposes ending the DOE’s focus on climate change and green subsidies "to fund progressive policies" by eliminating programs such as the Loan Program Office (LPO). Created in 2005, the LPO offers loans and guarantees for developing clean-energy projects; it has granted more than $30 billion in loans since its inception. The IRA has designated $11.7 billion to the LPO since its passage.
McNamee did not respond to a request for comment.
"Mandate for Leadership" is comprehensive, with guidelines to reform the whole federal government, not just climate policies. The timing of its release is strategic. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingri
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