Trump’s Expected Fossil Fuel Boost Ignores Fast-Growing Clean Energy

WASHINGTON – If, as expected, President Trump touts boosting fossil fuels as the way to lift the economy in his State of the Union address tonight, he will miss the boat. In fact, the true dominance in the energy sector, already helping the economy, is unprecedented growth of clean energy jobs across America.

Ana Unruh Cohen, director of government affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, points out the flaws in Trump’s objective in the following statement:

“The president wants to make America ‘energy dominant’ only by ramping up fossil fuels. But he’s utterly ignoring the real dominance, the exceptional growth of clean energy. Already, three million Americans go to work across the country each day to wind, solar and energy efficiency jobs. And the sky's the limit on further clean energy growth—that is, if Trump doesn’t get in the way.

“He shouldn’t. We need to cut the fossil fuel use that’s damaging our health and climate. And we need to accelerate, in every way possible, the transition to clean energy that will provide good jobs, a safer climate and a healthier future for our children.”

More on clean energy job growth:

• 373,807 solar jobs in the U.S. – E2.org
• Report: Wind power closes 2017 strong, lifting the American economy: https://www.awea.org/4Q2017press
• Nearly 3 million Americans work in clean energy: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-second-annual-national-energy-employment-analysis-0

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.