Trump Administration Puts Nevada Solar Project That Could Create 845 Jobs on the Chopping Block
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Nevada’s Esmeralda 7 has the potential to generate enough electricity to power nearly 2 million homes
Washington, D.C. – Today, POLITICO reported that a solar power project that could power 2 million homes and employ 845 Nevadans is on the chopping block. As one of the biggest data center markets in the country, Nevada’s grid is already under strain. Canceling this project would make it even worse. The update, which was quietly posted on the Bureau of Land Management website, comes as Donald Trump takes the Republican government shutdown as an opportunity to escalate his war on clean energy, announcing the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in investments as political retribution against states that did not vote for him. The Trump administration has put $24 billion for energy projects on the chopping block since May.
Republican Representative Mark Amodei (NV-02) has remained silent while Trump goes after clean energy projects in his state, including another solar project that would have created 300 good paying jobs and nearly $270 million in investments that Trump is threatening in his district. According to Climate Power’s Energy Crisis Snapshot report and tracker, more than 80,500 clean energy jobs have already been lost or delayed under the Trump administration, 47% of which are in congressional districts represented by Republicans.
“Donald Trump and Republicans promised to lower prices and create jobs, but instead, they’re sowing chaos and uncertainty while Americans struggle to pay their bills,” said Climate Power Communications Director Alex Glass. “This project could put more energy on the grid at a time when Nevada’s families desperately need relief from skyrocketing utility bills. Republican members of Congress need to do the right thing and put their promises to the American people over their promises to Trump’s billionaire Big Oil donors.”
Trump’s reckless energy policies are killing clean energy projects across the country:
- Trump’s federal energy policies contributed to battery startup, Natron Energy, shutting down and canceling its planned $1.4 billion factory in Eastern North Carolina, which would have created 1,000 jobs.
- Blue Ridge Power blamed insurmountable “market headwinds” impacting the renewable energy industry for their decision to lay off 517 workers in North Carolina
- Trump planned to revoke federal permitting for a Maryland wind farm, which would have powered 718,000 homes and supported more than 1,300 jobs.