The Department of Energy (DOE) canceled two clean energy grants to Alabama companies last week.
According to Alabama Daily News, the DOE canceled a $75 million grant for AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company in Birmingham and a $75.5 million grant for United States Pipe and Foundry Company in Bessemer.
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) complained about the grant cancellations on Tuesday.
“We fought like hell to secure these two $75 million investments in Birmingham and Bessemer because they would strengthen our economy and create jobs, all while promoting clean energy,” Sewell said. “For the Trump Administration to cut them off is outrageous!”
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement that the cancellations in Alabama were among 24 awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), totaling over $3.7 billion in taxpayer-funded financial assistance.
According to a press release, the DOE found the 24 awards “failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were not economically viable and would not generate a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.”
Of the 24 awards cancelled, sixteen of the twenty-four projects were signed between election day and January 20. The projects primarily include funding for carbon capture and sequestration, as well as decarbonization initiatives.
“While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment,” Wright said. “Today, we are acting in the best interest of the American people by cancelling these 24 awards.”
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