PA Groups Say Federal Megabill Will Increase Pollution, Raise The Cost Of Living, Reduce Energy Choice

On July 3, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” and put it on the President’s desk.  Some groups call it the most disastrous environmental legislation the country has seen in modern history. 

They say the regressive policies it has made law will reverse years of progress in fighting the climate crisis and make the planet less livable by dealing a devastating blow to clean energy.

Among its many drawbacks-- the bill eliminates clean energy tax credits for solar and wind projects, electric vehicles, commercial clean vehicles, and home energy efficiency, and repeals the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. 

It also creates new tax breaks for coal, oil, and gas companies. 

The groups say these measures will kneecap our growing clean energy sector, raise energy costs, eliminate roughly 770,000 jobs by 2030, and dramatically increase pollution at a time when energy demand and the cost of living are on the rise.

Clean Air Council

Alex Bomstein, Clean Air Council Executive Director, issued the following statement in response--

“218 Republicans just raised energy bills and shrunk the economy across the country. This terrible bill will soil our air, shorten our lives, and empty our wallets by damaging programs meant to reduce pollution and create jobs. 

“Stunting the growth of the clean energy industry just when we need it most is the worst way our government could respond to the climate crisis. 

“Our elected officials should be securing a sustainable future for their constituents, not putting them directly and demonstrably in harm’s way.” 

Clean Air Council is an environmental nonprofit founded in 1967 that works through public education, community action, government oversight, and enforcement of environmental laws to protect everyone’s right to a healthy environment.

Evangelical Environmental Network

Evangelical Environmental Network President and CEO Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman released this statement commenting on the federal action--

While the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) commends several meaningful agriculture conservation wins included in the bill, we are gravely concerned about deeply counterproductive rollbacks of fiscally responsible pollution protections and curtailed freedom for communities, churches, and families to choose clean energy.

"As champions for responsible stewardship of God’s creation, we commend the historic $16 billion investment in America’s farmers to fully and faithfully carry out agricultural conservation practices as well as the extension of the 45Z clean fuel credit that has the potential to be the most impactful policy in a generation for conservation and agricultural innovation. 

“We also welcome the preservation of key tax credits for clean, firm technologies–like geothermal and advanced nuclear–that will deliver the low-emission baseload energy of the future.

"We lament, however, the abrupt termination of vital incentives for wind, solar, and residential energy efficiency. 

“The dismantling of the technology-neutral incentives for clean electricity is against conservative commonsense, stifling innovation, threatening grid stability, and standing in opposition to a market-based approach where the government doesn’t pick energy winners or losers but instead rewards performance over special-interest preference.

"We are grateful to IS Senators Grassley and Ernst, as well as Representatives Miller-Meeks (IA-1), Garbarino (NY-2), Kiggans (VA-2), and others for their courageous leadership to stem the abrupt termination of renewable technologies that are crucial to meeting today’s growing energy demand with lower costs to families and reduced harmful impacts on human life.

"Finally, we lament the bill’s ten-year delay of the methane waste fee and rollback of long-overdue oil and gas royalty rate reforms. 

“These provisions would have generated billions in revenue critical to offsetting growing deficits while simultaneously reducing pollution that costs us our health. 

“At a time of exploding national debt, eliminating these meaningful revenue streams is both an environmental and fiscal failure."

The Pennsylvania-based Evangelical Environmental Network is a ministry whose mission is to inspire, equip, educate, and mobilize evangelical Christians to love God and others by rediscovering and reclaiming the Biblical mandate to care for creation and working toward a stable climate and a healthy, pollution-free world.

Related Articles This Week:

-- Solar Business Owners: PA Will Lose $156 Million If PA Senate, House Fail To Unlock Solar For All Funding  [PaEN] 

-- Spotlight PA: Costs Of Amazon’s $20 Billion Promise To Build Data Centers In PA Unknown: Impact On Electricity Supply, Power Costs To Consumers, Tax Revenue Forfeit 

-- PJM Interconnection Grid Operator Issues Hot Weather Alert For July 6 In Its Western Region, July 7 In Its Mid-Atlantic & Southern Regions, Including Areas In PA  [PaEN] 

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light Launches New Faith & Fossil Fuels Initiative; Invites Congregations, Individuals To Share Your Lived Experiences With Pollution  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- AP: What’s In The Latest Version Of President Big Budget Bill That Passed US Senate

-- Utility Dive: US House Passes Megabill Sending It To President With Steep Cuts In Clean Energy; President Promised Additional Restrictions On Wind, Solar, EV Subsidies 

-- WESA: Green Advocates: Federal Budget Bill Will Raise Electricity Costs, Cut Tax Credits For Solar, Wind Power

-- Utility Dive: US Senate Passes Megabill That Curbs IRA Tax Credits

-- E&E News/Politico: Energy Winners And Losers In Republican MegaBill

-- Inside Climate News: Federal Budget Megabill Gives Tax Breaks To Companies Exporting Metallurgical Coal That Supports Foreign Steel Making 

-- Republican Herald: PA Anthracite Council Asks President To Impose Tariffs To Preserve Coal Industry  [Supports Foreign Steel Making]  [PDF of Article] 

-- Utility Dive: Groups Decry US Senate’s Elimination Of Building Efficiency Deduction

-- CBS News: US Senate Removes Excise Tax On Renewable Energy Industry From Budget Bill

-- AP: Congressional Republican Budget Bill Dismantles Climate Law Passed By Democrats

-- MCall Guest Essay: Federal Home Heating Assistance Saves Energy, Money And Lives -  By Michael Austin, Weatherization Director, Community Action Lehigh Valley

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: How Electric Grid Power Capacity Needs Of Larger Industrial Customers Could Threaten Industrial Growth In Pittsburgh Region  [PDF of Article] 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Energy Receives $22.7 Million In US DOE Loan For Energy Storage Production Expansion In Turtle Creek  [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive Letter: Air Pollution And Dementia - By Dr. Marti Haykin 

-- Reuters - Commentary: US Power Plant Pollution Climbs On Higher Coal Use

-- EPA Announces It Will Revise Power Plant Wastewater Standards To Support Electric Reliability And Unleash American Energy [Again] 

-- US Dept Of Energy Announces Updated NEPA Procedures To End Permitting Paralysis, Unleash American Energy

-- Michigan Advance: Michigan Joins 14 Other States In Challenging President’s Energy Emergency Executive Order [Not Pennsylvania] 

[Posted: July 3, 2025]  PA Environment Digest