Press Release  AG Campbell Leads Coalition Of 11 States Urging Congress Not To Defund The Inflation Reduction Act

BOSTON — Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell leads a coalition of 11 states in calling on Congress to protect the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) from harmful budget cuts. 

“The IRA presents an enormous and historic opportunity to make critical strides toward an equitable clean energy economy, advance environmental justice and resilience, and to stave off the worst effects of the climate crisis,” writes AG Campbell and the coalition. “This is not the time for Congress to claw back funds needed for its implementation.” 

In August 2022, President Biden signed into law the IRA, the nation’s largest-ever investment in addressing climate change. The IRA directs hundreds of billions of dollars nationwide toward climate solutions, providing significant incentives for clean energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicle programs, and more.  

The letter asks Congress to reject cuts proposed by House Republicans that threaten the IRA’s ability to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create good, green jobs. Proposed cuts could rescind over $20 billion authorized by the IRA.  

The multistate coalition opposes cuts to programs that would, among other things, help rural small businesses and agricultural producers convert to renewable energy and make energy cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable for Americans living in rural areas; spur economic opportunity in disadvantaged communities, while also reducing pollution and encouraging clean energy technology; and help low- to moderate-income families transition to cleaner homes and appliances. Proposed cuts to various federal agencies’ budgets, including the Council on Environmental Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, Treasury, and the Department of Labor, could also hinder the effective roll-out of these and other programs under the IRA.   

Funding to implement the IRA is important to ensure that the progress made on climate goals benefits—and does not further burden—disadvantaged and low wealth communities. Many of the states in the coalition, including Massachusetts, have previously advocated in support of equitable and effective implementation of this groundbreaking law and its promise of an equitable transition away from fossil fuels.  

The letter was led by AG Campbell and joined by the attorneys general of Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. In Massachusetts, this matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Julia Jonas-Day of the AG’s Environmental Protection Division. 

###