The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate dozens of clean energy projects and freeze billions of dollars for major projects in New York, intensifying a stand-off with Democrats over a US government shutdown.
uS media outlets described the moves announced by the energy and transportation departments as part of the administration’s efforts to pressure Democrats in Congress to agree on a deal to end the shutdown. US President Donald Trump had raced to enact hard-right policies even before the shutdown began, threatening mass firings and to slash government departments, and blaming Democrats for Congress’ failure to resolve a funding stand-off.
the Department of Energy announced earlier ‘the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion for American taxpayers.’ It said in a statement that those projects — overseen by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and other bodies — ‘did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs…
and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.’