Republican Governors Put New Clean Energy Jobs at Risk to Protect Big Oil’s Bottom Line
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Washington, D.C. — Ten Republican governors announced the creation of the Governors Coalition for Energy Choice. Launched by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who has deep ties to Big Oil, and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, the coalition aims to “ensure continued energy choice” by removing regulations on oil and gas companies and limiting investments in clean energy.
Last month, the Department of Energy reported that in 2023, 56% of new energy jobs were clean energy jobs, with clean energy jobs growing in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Limiting further investments in clean energy would put these new jobs at risk and would only benefit oil and gas companies. Investments in clean energy create good-paying jobs, more energy choices, and lower energy costs for families.
Climate Power Communications Director Alex Glass issued the following statement:
“These Republican governors are railing against fictional mandates, claiming to want more energy choice, but in reality, they want to let Big Oil choose for the rest of us. Last year, the majority of new energy jobs created were clean energy jobs, and Americans now have more energy choices than ever before. Republican governors are willing to risk laying off workers in their states to protect Big Oil’s bottom line. When Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to triple clean energy production, it created more than 330,000 new clean energy jobs and lowered energy costs for American families. This coalition is just the latest example of Republicans wanting to take us backward by reversing our clean energy progress, risking clean energy jobs, and increasing costs on families – all so Big Oil can profit.”
The Governors Coalition for Energy Choice includes governors from ten states: Louisiana, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Wyoming. Across those ten states, 62,996 new clean energy jobs have been created in the past two years since Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to triple clean energy production.