California legislators urges Trump to save the hydrogen energy project

A bipartite group of California legislators calls on the Trump administration to preserve $ 1.2 billion in federal funds for a hydrogen energy project to help weaned the condition of the planet’s heating fossil fuels.

The action follows reports in Times and other press organizations according to which the administration is ready to finance nearly 300 projects of the Ministry of Energy across the country, including four of the seven emerging “Hybs”.

Among them, the arches, or the Californian alliance for renewable hydrogen energy systems, which obtained $ 1.2 billion in federal funds by the Biden administration as part of a national effort to develop hydrogen energy. Arches also plans to bring in additional $ 11.2 billion from private investors.

In a letter to the Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, dated on Monday, the legislators said that the arches “play an essential role in the security of American energy domination, the advancement of advanced energy technology, the creation of new manufacturing jobs and the reduction of energy costs for American families.”

The letter was signed by 47 of the 52 representatives of the State Congress, including four Republicans: the Vince Fong representatives (R-Bakersfield), David Valadao (R-Hanford), Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) and Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills). Several of the center sites were planned for the right -wing central valley of the state.

It was also signed by the two American Democratic Senators of the State, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.

The letter follows reports according to which Arches is on the list of budget cuts of the Ministry of Energy as well as hundreds of other projects focused on friendly initiatives.

In response to his disclosure, the DOE said that the agency was carrying out an examination on the scale of the department and had warned against the “false lists”. Trump administration has generally favored the development of fossil fuels on clean energy.

A list of list circulating on Capitol Hill and examined by the Times indicates that around 80% of the projects which were to lose funds are in the states which did not vote for Trump in the presidential election of 2024, including the four hydrogen centers.

In addition to California, they include a Mid-Atlantic center, a center of the North West Pacific and a center of the Midwest, which all extend mainly “blue” states which tend to vote for the Democrats. Three other hydrogen centers in the Reds and Redly Redy States and Regions – Texas, Appalachians and a “Heartland” center in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota – are safe, according to the list.

Hydrogen is a promising source of energy that produces water vapor instead of carbon dioxide as a by-product, which, according to supporters, could be used to power difficult to decarbonize industries such as steel production, manufacturing and transport.

In their letter, the legislators have described the arches as a “strategic investment in American energy innovation” and noted that projects arising from it would be dispersed through the state, including efforts to decarbonize the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland by replacing the transport equipment of diesel cargoes with equivalents of hydrogen batteries.

“The investment is already used to bring together private industry, local governments and community organizations to collaborate and build a secure and American energy future,” wrote the representatives, adding that the arches predict the creation of 220,000 jobs.

The letter was led by representative George Whitesides (D -Agua Dulce), whose district includes Lancaster – the first city to join arches during its announcement, with several projects provided in the region.

“The bipartite support for the arches presented in this letter underlines its importance for California and the nation,” Whitesides wrote in a press release. “I urge the DOE to support this crucial program and preserve its funding, thus expanding our workforce and our economic opportunities.”

Potential cuts arise as the Trump administration continues to target environmental programs in California and across the country in what officials say they are an effort to facilitate regulatory costs, reduce taxes and “release American energy”.

However, the Democratic initiates said that the planned cuts seem to be a supporter – especially because the California center was the most score among more than 30 projects considered for the federal program of $ 7 billion. Its $ 1.2 billion price also corresponded to that of Texas, a red state center which was protected from the cuts.

The seven hydrogen centers had to collectively produce 3 million metric tons of hydrogen per year and reduce 25 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, an amount almost equivalent to that of 5.5 million gas cars.

“We consider the arches as a strategic investment in American energy innovation, an energy strategy all with absence and independence and energy competitiveness,” said the letter. “With this, we respectfully ask to continue to support the arches and give time to California Hub and its member organizations to further justify their vital role to achieve the energy objectives of the administration.”