TOPSHOT – US President Joe Biden signs the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 during … [+]
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Most Americans already know about the $369 billion in new incentive subsidies for low-carbon energy projects that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed by Congress last summer and signed into law by President Joe Biden. Fewer people are likely aware of the more than $200 billion in similar programs included in the so-called Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021.
Fewer and fewer people will be aware that a significant portion of IRA funding will not go to wind or solar projects, batteries or hydrogen development. Millions of IRA dollars will actually go to fund activist organizations that work with it Apart from petrochemicals an effort created by a billionaire Michael Bloomberg.
Launched in September 2022 — a month after President Biden signed the IRA into law — Beyond Petrochemicals says on its website that its mission is to “block the expansion of more than 120 proposed petrochemical and plastics projects concentrated in three targeted geographies — Louisiana, Texas. and the Ohio River Valley – and will also work to impose stricter rules on existing plants to protect the health of America’s communities.”
In the next paragraph, the group explains its strategy: “Beyond Petrochemicals is championing the work of frontline groups and allied organizations leading the fight to end petrochemical pollution in these communities.”
That’s All Good: Among the many blessings of being a US citizen is that they are free to support whatever cause they want to support and fund it with their hard-earned (mostly) money. In this light, Beyond Petrochemicals appears to be just another nonprofit founded by a multi-billionaire to try to achieve a goal.
None of this is controversial by any means. Even those who disagree with the goals of this organization should fight to support its right to exist and function in our society.
That is, unless the federal government decides to join the multi-billionaire and help fund it, albeit indirectly. This is where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) comes into play.
last November granted by the EPA significant federal money to two Louisiana-based activist groups listed as “coordinated organizations” from Beyond Petrochemicals: The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSSEJ) and Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LBB) campaign. EPA gave $498,911 to DSSEJ, while LBB took home $75,000. EPA funneled a much greater appreciation – 13 million dollars – DSSEJ in April of this year.
DSSEJ he says is dedicated to “improving the lives of children and families harmed by pollution and threatened by climate change in the Gulf Coast region through research, education, community and student engagement in policy change, as well as health and safety training for environmental careers.” Good, soft language that seems completely uncontroversial.
However, LBB is much more pointed about its mission on its own website: “We are on a mission to end the destruction of Louisiana by the petrochemical industry.”
The petrochemical industry would likely respond that this so-called “destroying of Louisiana” involves the creation of thousands of good-paying jobs, billions in annual economic impacts, paying billions more in local and state taxes, and manufacturing thousands of different products used by every American in the US. their daily life. These products would include the water bottles most likely used by LBB activists to stay hydrated in the hot South Louisiana sun whenever they stage a protest at a petrochemical plant, along with their mobile devices and probably even the clothes they wear, among many other items.
But that’s beside the point. The point is, we wouldn’t want the EPA or any other federal agency pumping money into the petrochemical industry to help fund the spread of their preferred messages. By the same token, we shouldn’t want the feds handing out money to help support the other side’s activities.
However, here we see the EPA proudly boasting that it is doing just that.
That should not be the role of government in the United States. The role of government regulators should be to set standards and enforce them, and whenever government moves outside of that role, the results are rarely, if ever, positive for society as a whole. When the EPA begins funding activist groups, but only those that support the administration’s policy goals, it has wandered far beyond its proper mission.
EPA should learn to stay in its lane.
