Amid Unprecedented Heat Waves, GOP Governors Reject Funding and Back Out of Common Sense Initiatives

Republicans are dragging clean energy progress backwards as Americans across the country face catastrophic weather events 

Washington, D.C. – As Americans across the country experience extreme heat and other dangerous climate events, Republican Governors are working to dismantle common sense solutions to reduce the harmful impact of climate change. In just the last few months, communities across the country have faced poor air quality due to wildfire smoke, dangerous heat waves, and flooding. While their constituents are facing weather events ripped from a disaster film, Republican Governors are dead set on  rolling back critical initiatives and programs aimed to combat climate disasters.  

“As Americans brave major climate disasters, Republican governors are withdrawing from programs and rejecting funds aimed to combat these crises,” said Climate Power Executive Director Lori Lodes. “These decisions are irresponsible and deeply out of touch with the majority of Americans who want their leaders to take action to prevent climate change and safeguard our communities from disastrous climate impacts. Republicans are more concerned with collecting their MAGA accolades than protecting their constituents – and they should be held accountable.” 

Last week, Governor Lombardo withdrew Nevada from the U.S. Climate Alliance, shifting Nevada’s energy objectives away from clean energy infrastructure and defying the Paris Agreement, all while Nevadans across the state were faced with excessive heat warnings. As Virginia was engulfed in smoke from Canadian wildfires, Governor Youngkin’s board for State Air Pollution voted to withdraw the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, lifting restrictions on the amount of carbon emissions that power plants release. Governor DeSantis rejected $377 million in federal funds that would have slashed energy costs for Florida families while his state was inundated with record-breaking heat and insurers pulled out of Florida, jeopardizing Floridians’ homes.  

Republican Governors across the U.S. are leaving their constituents to face deadly climate disasters alone, prioritizing the profits of their Big Oil allies even as clean energy remains cheap and popular across the political spectrum. Americans deserve to have their basic needs met as the climate crisis worsens. It is clear that Republican leaders are not up to this task.