When President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, he was in many ways delivering on a campaign promise: gutting the country’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA.
The new budget law delivers deep cuts for programs like renewable energy, tree-planting, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. It also includes boons for oil drilling and exploration, and increases demand for timber from national forests. White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers told Grist that its policies will “turbocharge energy production” and “deliver further relief to American families and businesses.”
But one month since its signing, the Republican megabill seems to be doing the opposite. Program administrators, energy experts, and tribal leaders across the country said there is chaos and confusion as they wait to hear the fate of IRA-funded programs worth billions of dollars.Grist reports from four locations on how local groups are wading through the cuts and uncertainty.
AppalachiaRead more
