Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) simply turned down $377 million in free federal energy-efficiency cash regardless of Florida struggling ever-hotter temperatures.

The funding earmarked for Florida got here from each the Inflation Discount Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation. It included almost $174 million for energy-efficiency enchancment rebates and $173 million for energy-efficient residence equipment purchases for customers. There was additionally $7 million for a coaching program for electrification contractors.

As Bloomberg reported, “The Florida Division of Agriculture and Shopper Companies’s Workplace of Power notified the Power Division final month it was ‘respectfully’ withdrawing functions for the funds after DeSantis issued a line-item veto for a $5 million federal grant for the state to arrange applications to distribute the rebates.”

As regular, DeSantis’ group refused to remark.

DeSantis proposed tax credit for fuel stoves in February as a part of the “liberals are going to take your fuel stoves” marketing campaign – regardless of pure fuel being the precise offender for rising electrical energy payments for Floridians.

In the meantime, as WUSF experiences, “2023 has already been Miami’s hottest 12 months on file, with town breaking 15 day by day peak temperature data – seven since June 1 alone.” And it’s not simply Miami within the Sunshine State.

Electrek’s Take

In case you haven’t heard, DeSantis is operating for president. His rejection of free federal funds for Florida is a purely political transfer. From DeSantis’ nook, to simply accept would imply implicit approval of President Joe Biden’s clear power legal guidelines.

Since DeSantis is all in on the “Combat Again Towards the Woke Agenda” marketing campaign, doing one thing wise about power effectivity would tarnish his self-perceived tough-guy picture. He additionally killed a money-saving EV invoice final week for a similar causes.

So his rejection of this cash as an try and win Republican votes goes to value Florida residents some huge cash. Florida is getting hotter, and the price of electrical energy goes up.

Power-efficient home equipment save folks cash. Power-efficiency residence enhancements save folks cash and make properties extra comfy. And the essential advantage of lowering emissions as the results of adopting power effectivity is a given, although that doesn’t matter to a variety of DeSantis supporters – and it undoubtedly doesn’t matter to DeSantis.

What’s pathetic is that Florida is lacking out on these funds for nothing – power-hungry Ron DeSantis goes to lose the presidential election anyway.

Learn extra: Florida’s governor simply locked ‘Florida into a grimy fossil gasoline future’

Picture: “Ron DeSantis – Caricature” by DonkeyHotey is licensed underneath CC BY-SA 2.0.

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