Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) simply turned down $377 million in free federal energy-efficiency cash regardless of Florida struggling ever-hotter temperatures.

The funding earmarked for Florida got here from each the Inflation Discount Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation. It included almost $174 million for energy-efficiency enchancment rebates and $173 million for energy-efficient residence equipment purchases for customers. There was additionally $7 million for a coaching program for electrification contractors.

As Bloomberg reported, “The Florida Division of Agriculture and Shopper Companies’s Workplace of Vitality notified the Vitality Division final month it was ‘respectfully’ withdrawing purposes for the funds after DeSantis issued a line-item veto for a $5 million federal grant for the state to arrange packages to distribute the rebates.”

As ordinary, DeSantis’ staff refused to remark.

DeSantis proposed tax credit for gasoline stoves in February as a part of the “liberals are going to take your gasoline stoves” marketing campaign – regardless of pure gasoline being the precise offender for rising electrical energy payments for Floridians.

In the meantime, as WUSF studies, “2023 has already been Miami’s hottest 12 months on report, with the town breaking 15 each day peak temperature data – seven since June 1 alone.” And it’s not simply Miami within the Sunshine State.

Electrek’s Take

In case you haven’t heard, DeSantis is operating for president. His rejection of free federal funds for Florida is a purely political transfer. From DeSantis’ nook, to just accept would imply implicit approval of President Joe Biden’s clear power legal guidelines.

Since DeSantis is all in on the “Battle Again In opposition to the Woke Agenda” marketing campaign, doing one thing smart about power effectivity would tarnish his self-perceived tough-guy picture. He additionally killed a money-saving EV invoice final week for a similar causes.

So his rejection of this cash as an try and win Republican votes goes to price Florida residents some huge cash. Florida is getting hotter, and the price of electrical energy goes up.

Vitality-efficient home equipment save folks cash. Vitality-efficiency residence enhancements save folks cash and make houses extra comfy. And the essential good thing about decreasing emissions as the results of adopting power effectivity is a given, although that doesn’t matter to lots of DeSantis supporters – and it undoubtedly doesn’t matter to DeSantis.

What’s pathetic is that Florida is lacking out on these funds for nothing – power-hungry Ron DeSantis goes to lose the presidential election anyway.

Learn extra: Florida’s governor simply locked ‘Florida into a grimy fossil gas future’

Picture: “Ron DeSantis – Caricature” by DonkeyHotey is licensed beneath CC BY-SA 2.0.

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