Florida Democrats lobby U.S. Energy Department to bypass Gov. DeSantis, establish solar program

Florida Democratic leaders want President Joe Biden’s administration running a solar incentive program if Gov. Ron DeSantis won’t.

The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) endorsed a letter from Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation encouraging the U.S. Energy Department to bypass the state and establish programs through county and local governments.

“Floridians are suffering because of Ron’s political games,” said FDP Chair Nikki Fried. “His obsession with the presidency cost Floridians nearly half a billion dollars in federal grant funding — funding that comes straight from our taxes — all in an effort to impress farmers in Iowa. If only he cared about putting money back in the pockets of farmers in Florida.”

DeSantis vetoed a state program that would bring $346 million in federal rooftop solar incentives, upsetting political allies and adversaries alike. U.S. Rep. Darren Soto encouraged the Energy Department to allow Floridians to participate in the program anyway.

The Kissimmee Democrat sent a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging the agency to create a federally managed program or help facilitate local government programs to use rebates budgeted in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Every Democrat in the congressional delegation co-signed the letter, including U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Jared Moskowitz, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson.

“These rebates stand to assist families in need who are looking to upgrade their homes with more energy-efficient appliances, accelerating the nation’s transition toward clean energy,” the letter reads. “To safeguard Floridians’ access to this vital assistance, we hope that the Department will consider administering these rebates either through a direct federally managed program or through locally managed programs, supplementing state and territory-administered initiatives.

“We believe it would benefit our districts if the Department were to take swift action on this matter, as the aforementioned energy rebate programs are only available for the next 10 years. By broadening pathways for application to rebate programs, it’s our opinion that the Department would be aiding thousands of families and actively addressing the nation’s energy crisis.”

That followed up on Castor, previously the Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, slamming the veto for putting hundreds of millions in federal funding out of reach for Floridians. She sent a letter to DeSantis that outlined programs authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act last year.

“Specifically, as a result of your veto, Florida will lose $174 million in rebates for energy-efficiency improvements, $173 million for rebates to purchase energy-efficient home appliances, and $7 million for a training program for electrical contractors — a loss of $354 million to the people of Florida,” Castor wrote. “Floridians will lose a seventy-fold return on investment — money that would have gone directly to their pockets.”

Fried said all Florida Democrats should support the Energy Department working directly with local governments on programming.

“The Florida Democratic Party joins our Democratic Congressional Delegation in urging the Department of Energy to allow for local management of these rebate programs,” she said. “Communities in Florida should be able to choose to participate for themselves, instead of being left at the mercy of a wannabe presidential candidate with a point to prove.”