Florida Representative Castor criticizes DeSantis’ veto, labeling it a pickpocket move that deprived the state of $350 million in energy funds; Castor slams DeSantis as a clean energy failure.

Tampa Bay area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor is expressing her frustration with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for rejecting $354 million in federal funding for energy-efficient measures. The funding was provided through federal legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden, but DeSantis vetoed the allocation at the end of June.

Castor argues that DeSantis’ decision has deprived Florida of much-needed funds for energy efficiency. She called it a “pickpocket” move that makes the cost of living more expensive for Floridians. Castor claims that DeSantis has been a disaster for clean energy and the environment in the state.

Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, which was hailed by environmentalists and climate change activists, designated $369 billion for all 50 states to address the climate crisis. The funding aimed to expand tax credits for clean energy and electric vehicles, boost energy efficiency, and reduce air pollution at ports, among other provisions.

Castor, who previously chaired the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, highlights the cost savings that the federal legislation would have provided for consumers and local communities. The funding would have included rebates for energy-efficient purchases, weatherization of homes, and tax credits for rooftop solar.

According to Castor, DeSantis rejected funding that would have allocated $174 million in rebates for energy efficiency, $173 million for energy-efficient home appliances, and $7 million for a training program for electrical contractors. However, these funds will no longer be available to Florida.

Critics argue that DeSantis has not lived up to his campaign promise of being a “Teddy Roosevelt-style Republican” when it comes to the environment. While he has invested in efforts to address flooding and sea-level rise, he has dismissed the danger of climate change.

In response to the situation, Castor announced that she is co-sponsoring federal legislation to prohibit utility companies from using ratepayer dollars to fund political activities. This comes after she called on the Department of Justice to investigate Florida Power & Light (FPL) for its use of “dark money” to influence elections.

FPL was accused of funding independent “ghost candidates” in political races to help Republicans win. Castor refers to one specific case where a Democratic incumbent lost his reelection bid by just 34 votes due to the presence of an independent candidate with a similar name. The bill co-sponsored by Castor aims to prevent utilities from using ratepayer dollars for political purposes.

Similar measures have been successful at the state level, with Maine, Colorado, and Connecticut passing bills to prohibit utilities from funding political activities. Castor has represented most of Hillsborough County in the House of Representatives for 17 years and won her last election by 14 points. Her district now includes much of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County.

Original Story at www.islandernews.com – 2023-08-05 22:57:00