OPINION:
If at first you don’t succeed, blame the other team. After years of implementing expensive green energy projects, Democrats seem surprised that utility costs have increased for Americans. Rather than changing their policies, Democrats are attempting to blame Republicans for rising utility prices.
So, what is driving utility prices higher? One major factor is costly red tape. For example, the Biden administration spent $5.7 billion in taxpayer money subsidizing the installation of electric appliances in new homes.
But green energy mandates on new homes failed to lower utility costs. In fact, they increased the cost of utilities, strained the electric grid and inflated the cost of homes. Industry experts found that electric appliance mandates pushed consumers toward products that are both more expensive and less efficient. Home builders estimate that energy regulations have added as much as $31,000 to the price of a new home.
Reversing green energy regulations takes time. Years of federal overreach have embedded these costs into both housing and energy markets. Lowering the cost of utilities will require repealing every single unnecessary energy regulation.
That’s why I’m leading the Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, which would repeal costly green energy mandates on homes. This bill would undo the red tape that effectively banned the installation of gas-powered stoves and water heaters in new homes.
Before this bill passed the House earlier this year, my colleagues across the aisle argued that green energy mandates actually lower costs for consumers. But if electric appliances are more cost-effective, why does the federal government need to spend billions of dollars mandating their installation?
Green energy regulations on homes prioritize radical climate policies over affordable utilities for families.
The costs of these policies are even more visible at the state level. Analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data reveals Hawaii and California have the nation’s highest typical monthly electric bills, at $375 and $312, respectively. Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts have the most expensive average residential electricity rates, all exceeding 30 cents per kilowatt-hour.
By comparison, my home state of Texas has a typical electric bill of $142 per month and an average residential electricity rate of 15.87 cents per kilowatt-hour roughly half the cost of the leading Democrat-run states.
Most Republican-led states are even more affordable. North Dakota’s typical monthly electricity bill is $99, with an average residential electricity rate of 11.02 cents per kilowatt-hour.
The same pattern holds for natural gas. On average, residents of Democrat-run states pay more for gas utilities than those in Republican-led states. Once again, Hawaii, Massachusetts and California rank among the most expensive residential natural gas prices, according to data from the EIA.
This is not a coincidence. Democrat-led states have intentionally restricted affordable energy sources, like oil and natural gas, while subsidizing less reliable energy, like solar and wind alternatives. Democrats in Congress have implemented the same playbook on the national level, handing out billions of taxpayer dollars to green energy companies while Americans pay the price.
Subsidizing the installation of green energy appliances will not lower the cost of energy. Removing costly federal red tape will lower utility bills, improve home affordability and restore consumer choice.
Americans can have abundant energy that powers homes, fuels industries and supports economic growth. Improving energy affordability requires less government intervention, not more. The evidence from both federal and state governments is crystal clear: when the government implements green energy regulations, Americans pay more.
• Rep. Craig Goldman represents Texas’ 12th Congressional District. He serves on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee and the following subcommittees: Subcommittee on Energy; Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade; and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
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