If the United States has an energy emergency, as President Donald Trump declared on Jan. 20, why is Congress hell-bent on reducing our sources of energy?

The Republican-controlled Congress is planning to severely limit solar and wind power incentives as part of the “One Big Beautiful” budget bill. The House cut tax rebates for homeowners and businesses for solar and energy-related home improvements. The Senate version of the budget bill does the same, virtually ensuring the demise of Inflation Reduction Act tax rebates claimed by 3.4 million American families for more than $8 billion in 2023, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

On Long Island, there are more than 85,000 homes with solar rooftops and more than 78,077 electric and hybrid vehicles. Many Long Islanders have earned rebates for installing solar panels, energy efficient windows, and heat pumps, and received tax credits for electric vehicles and batteries to charge EVs; all of that would be gone in the future if the bill is enacted into law as-is. At least 300,000 EV buyers collectively saved more than $2 billion in rebates.

The Senate bill pulls back slightly from the House version on phasing out tax credits for solar and wind companies. However, the message is clear — green energy will no longer be supported by the federal government.

Undercutting the solar and wind industries would put the nation’s energy grid at risk. Diversification of the grid protects against price and supply variations. Wind and solar accounted for 14.1% of the nation’s electricity produced in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While the U.S. is producing more oil, recent events in the Middle East should remind us of the benefits of having energy sources not dependent on geopolitics.

We’re turning the clock back decades on energy production by focusing on fossil fuels while pulling incentives for renewable energy. With rebates and incentives canceled or phased out, it will be more expensive to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer. In short, pollution will increase along with costs and Americans inevitably will cope with more blackouts.

The Senate bill at the moment does keep the original phaseout time frame for investment tax credits for energy storage. One Long Island solar energy business executive told the editorial board that this bit of silver lining doesn’t compensate for solar companies going bankrupt and people losing their jobs. Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino, of Bayport, a staunch support of incentives, told the editorial board “the bill’s not done” and that he and Reps. Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler are meeting with senators and the White House to reinstate the rebates. “It’s hugely important we don’t pull the rug out from underneath these guys. They’ve already invested millions,” Garbarino said.

The United States is a net exporter of oil and gas. The real energy emergency is reducing the nation’s energy diversification while encouraging industries that pollute the environment.

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