Appalachian Voices statement on Senate passage of H.R.1, slashing clean energy in favor of billionaire and polluter tax breaks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2025

CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, dan@appvoices.org

Today, the U.S. Senate passed the reconciliation bill, H.R. 1, officially known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The bill will hinder new energy production and lead to an increase in electricity prices for the entire country by repealing energy efficiency and renewable energy tax credits, while creating a new tax credit for metallurgical coal production. It attempts to allow polluters to pay an extra fee to bypass environmental protections. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office also expects that it will add trillions to the country’s debt, kick nearly 12 million people off of Medicaid, and lead to a reduction in nutrition benefits. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where lawmakers hope to pass the bill by July 4. 

Statement from Deputy Executive Director Kate Boyle:

“This megabill is a disaster for rural and Appalachian communities, packed with huge giveaways to polluters. With the passage of H.R. 1, the Senate has voted to raise electricity prices for all of us. At a time when the country needs more energy to meet demand, this bill aims to cripple wind and solar production, the very energy sources that could deliver on the timeline this country needs.

“Since the energy tax credits were enhanced in 2022, countless new projects have been completed or announced, creating jobs and saving businesses, local governments, and other not for profit, community serving organizations and families money across Appalachia. Eliminating the tax credits will be a tremendous setback for economic growth for our region.”

Statement from Director of Government Affairs and Strategy Chelsea Barnes:

“We are grateful to the senators who stood up for everyday, working Americans by voting against harmful cuts to health insurance, nutrition benefits and energy tax credits, including Sens. Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Thom Tillis and Rand Paul. It is incredibly disappointing that senators like Marsha Blackburn, Ted Budd, Shelley Moore Capito, Bill Hagerty, Jim Justice, Mitch McConnell and so many others voted to increase costs for rural Americans, increase the risk of hospital closures and stymie energy development needed to meet rising demand.”

Statement from Government Affairs Specialist Quenton King:

“Creating a new subsidy for metallurgical coal without ensuring adequate protections for coal miners is a slap in the face to coal-impacted communities. The Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which provides benefits to miners with black lung when the responsible coal company is unable to, is funded by an excise tax on coal sold domestically. Because the majority of met coal is exported, this means that coal companies will be incentivized to dig more coal for foreign markets, putting more coal miners at risk of black lung disease without putting money into the black lung system. This is yet another example of lawmakers caring more about coal companies than the people who mine it.”