IRA invests in energy, water and rural America

Previously published in the Durango Herald. Photo: Garnet Mesa solar project in Delta, Colorado.

Democrats held unified control of government for two years under President Biden. They spent their political capital to invest in America with three laws that will show most of their benefits only after Republicans take control again. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act passed with Republican votes. The Inflation Reduction Act passed using partisan reconciliation. President Trump and some Republicans are threatening to repeal it. I think that’s short-sighted.

The Inflation Reduction Act makes a generational investment in low-carbon energy and helps Americans adapt to a warming climate. Its energy tax credits are popular in many Republican districts, sparking local investment, building domestic supply chains, and accelerating innovation in technologies like geothermal, advanced nuclear, battery storage and carbon capture.

Near us, IRA funds are earmarked for water management and conservation in the drought-stressed Colorado River basin, which 40 million Americans rely on for water, energy and recreation. IRA funds are helping Alamosa County build redundancy into its electric system and provide new economic opportunities to the water-stressed San Luis Valley. IRA funds are helping non-profit electric co-ops like LPEA modernize their equipment, decrease pollution, increase resilience, and keep rates affordable – the biggest investment in rural electrification in 90 years.

IRA funds are reducing wildfire risk and restoring forest health in the Florida River municipal watershed, Southern Ute Tribal Land, and high-risk areas in the City of Durango. In Durango Hills, for example, homeowners were offered cost share to remove ladder fuels on their property while a shaded fire break is being cleared on public lands above their neighborhood.

IRA funds are helping agricultural producers and other small businesses reduce fuel bills, stabilize expenses, and grow their operations through energy efficiency improvements and expanded use of renewable power. IRA innovation grants are helping to develop new uses for wood, from sawmills that processes beetle kill trees to companies that convert slash from wildfire mitigation projects into structural timbers.

IRA is helping thousands of Coloradans to replace old gas-powered or electric resistance heaters with efficient heat pumps. Consumers can save money on utility bills for years going forward and get air conditioning in addition to heat – an important component of public health as heat waves increase.

Energy is a common good. So is our agriculture. Healthy forests, watersheds, and small businesses all help form the common good. Sometimes these things need tending and outside investment. Sound budgeting practices make room for smart innovation, but when stressors multiply, markets wobble, and the pace of change accelerates, individuals, businesses and communities may need help. Investments like those in the Inflation Reduction Act will pay dividends for generations to come.

As the incoming Congress takes a careful look at federal spending in IRA, I urge them not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just as energy demand is projected to grow sharply for the first time in decades, IRA programs are incentivizing new investments in energy solutions of all kinds – with most of the local benefits accruing to areas that voted for President Trump. America is growing its energy future and reinvesting in rural. Don’t shut that down.

Leadership means choosing. I’m grateful to Senator Hickenlooper and Senator Bennet for their leadership on IRA. Americans need help adapting to a changing climate. They need help investing in energy solutions that cost a bit to install, but operate for decades without emissions or expensive fuels. The rivers and forests that support our lives and livelihoods need help as well. IRA policies are providing that help. I urge Representative Jeff Hurd to weigh the merits of IRA policies carefully, and fight to preserve those that work for his constituents and for America.