Trump and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie’s War on Clean Energy Leads to More Layoffs in Lehigh Valley

Upper Macungie, Pennsylvania – Last week, Lehigh Valley Live reported that Gardner Cryogenics, a storage manufacturer for liquid helium and liquid hydrogen headquartered in Bethlehem, plans to cut 14 jobs from its Upper Macungie facility in November, with more anticipated workforce reduction before the end of the year. This is the second time in the past six months that clean energy manufacturing jobs in the Lehigh Valley have been cut. Teamsters Local 773, which represents the laid-off workers at Gardner Cryogenics, blamed the layoffs on the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy production.

The announcement comes on the heels of Representative Ryan Mackenzie, whose district includes the workers laid off from both Gardner Cryogenics and Mack Trucks in April, voting to gut clean energy production as part of his vote for Trump’s budget bill. Mackenzie voted for the bill despite previously acknowledging that cutting clean energy tax credits would destroy jobs.

“Ryan Mackenzie and his fellow Republicans have shown time and time again that they are willing to cut jobs and drive up prices for working people in the name of tax breaks for billionaires and Big Oil CEOS,” said Climate Power Pennsylvania Director Abby Cox. “Every time a clean energy project lays workers off, that means less reliable energy for all Pennsylvanians, and voters should know who is to blame.”

Earlier this week, Climate Power released a new report and tracker that details the rising costs, job losses, power shortages, and abandoned investments caused by Republicans’ nonsensical war on clean energy.

Since Trump took office, 964 energy jobs have been lost or delayed in Pennsylvania, including 364 in Mackenzie’s district. Nationwide, companies have canceled, delayed, or laid off staff at 145 energy projects in 37 states, representing over $42.80 billion in lost investment.