The Erosion of Republican Support for Clean Energy in the United States
The Republican Party, once a moderate advocate for clean energy and energy efficiency, has undergone a disturbing shift in its stance on climate-warming policies, with the Trump Administration and Republican-controlled Congress actively working to dismantle these measures. This transformation is most striking in the state of Michigan, where energy efficiency policies were once bipartisan but have now been abandoned by the Republican Party. The shift is evident in the state's 2008 clean energy law, which established targets for utility energy efficiency programs and renewable energy, and was passed with bipartisan support. However, by 2023, when Democrats controlled the governorship and both chambers of the legislature, Republicans opposed efforts to strengthen these policies, with both PA 235 and PA 229 passing the Senate and House without a single Republican vote.
Key Takeaways:
- The Republican Party's stance on clean energy has shifted significantly, from moderate support to strong opposition.
- The Trump Administration has aggressively pursued anti-environment and anti-clean energy policies.
- Michigan's energy efficiency policies were once bipartisan but have now been abandoned by the Republican Party.
- The state's 2008 clean energy law established targets for utility energy efficiency programs and renewable energy, and was passed with bipartisan support (83-24 in the House and 26-10 in the Senate).
- In 2016, the legislature passed PA342, which strengthened both utility energy efficiency requirements and the renewable energy standard, with a final vote of 33-4 in the GOP-controlled Senate and 76-31 in the GOP-controlled House.
- In 2023, Democrats controlled the governorship and both chambers of the legislature, and Republicans opposed efforts to strengthen clean energy policies, with both PA 235 and PA 229 passing the Senate and House without a single Republican vote.
- Since the Republicans took control of the Michigan House after the 2024 elections, no pieces of positive clean energy legislation have advanced.
- Climate change has become a major topic of interest, with a package of bills introduced to address the issue, but ultimately abandoned by the Republican Party.
Statistics:
- $21 billion: The proposed slashing in unspent funds from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law for renewable energy, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and other efforts to cut climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions.
- 83-24: The final vote in the Democratic-controlled House in 2008 to pass the clean energy law.
- 26-10: The final vote in the Republican-controlled Senate in 2008 to pass the clean energy law.
- 33-4: The final vote in the GOP-controlled Senate in 2016 to pass PA342.
- 76-31: The final vote in the GOP-controlled House in 2016 to pass PA342.
- 20-17: The final vote in the Senate to pass PA235 in 2023.
- 56-51: The final vote in the House to pass PA235 in 2023.
- 20-15: The final vote in the Senate to pass PA229 in 2023.
- 56-53: The final vote in the House to pass PA229 in 2023.
Sources:
- https://www.actonclimate.com/trumptracker/
- https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/MCL-ACT-295-OF-2008.pdf
- https://www.aceee.org/research-report/u2502
- https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/opinion/contributors/viewpoints/2015/02/27/michigans-energy-efficiency-policy-works-ruin/24128977/
- https://www.mlive.com/opinion/2016/05/base_michigan_energy_policy_on.html
- https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2015-2016/publicact/htm/2016-PA-0342.htm
- https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/publicact/pdf/2023-PA-0235.pdf
- https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/publicact/pdf/2023-PA-0229.pdf
- https://michiganadvance.com/subscribe