DESANTIS KEEPS ENERGY COSTS HIGH AS MILLIONS OF FLORIDIANS WEATHER SWELTERING HEAT WAVE

Washington, D.C. – In the midst of a record-breaking heat wave, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is doubling down on his record of raising costs and failing Flordians when it comes to the impacts of climate change, rejecting more than $350 million in federal funds that would slash energy costs for families across the state. The rejected funds would have gone toward cost-saving clean energy rebate programs in President Biden’s clean energy plan that would lower the price of vital resources like home cooling systems.

“While Floridians are facing both sky-high temperatures and inflation, Ron DeSantis is keeping energy costs high for his constituents,” said Climate Power Deputy Executive Director Claire Moser. “Florida is on the front lines of the climate crisis and Floridians deserve better from their leaders. This is a boon for Big Oil executives who are determined to keep energy costs high to pad their profits. ”

As ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico hit a shocking 96+ degrees, DeSantis is focused on his faltering presidential campaign, leaving his constituents to deal with energy costs, a collapsing insurance market, and the impacts of climate change on their own. Major insurance companies are pulling out of Florida because of the mounting toll of climate disasters and other extreme weather events. DeSantis’ only response is to “knock on wood we won’t have a big storm this summer.” Since 2019, when DeSantis became Governor, Florida has been impacted by 18 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, costing between $100 and $200 billion in total. Even so, DeSantis’ loyalty is to his Big Oil executive funders.