The Trump administration’s cancelation of nearly $8 billion in energy-related grants includes at least two San Joaquin County projects: a job-training problem for low-income residents and a $35 million hydrogen production plant
They were among 223 energy-related projects cut around the country. In San Joaquin County, the job training program went to the Housing Authority and the hydrogen plant was to operate in Lodi.
The job training program was aimed at those living in affordable housing and the disadvantaged. It would have offered skills, including certifications and degrees, needed for employment in the electric vehicle industry, Peter Ragsdale, executive director of the Housing Authority of San Joaquin County, told Stocktonia.
“Investing in living-wage employment opportunities has other significant benefits, including increased self-sufficiency and meaningful economic mobility,” Ragsdale said.
He expressed regret about the funding loss, the amount of which was not immediately available.
“I’m disappointed as the programs have made profound changes in participants’ employment trajectories,” Ragsdale said.
The Lodi Energy Center Hydrogen Project was envisioned as a chance to showcase the use of the clean fuel to produce electricity while powering vehicles, port operations and research.
“It’s outrageous that the Department of Energy is pulling the plug on this vital project. Valley families desperately need cheaper energy, better air quality, and good paying jobs. This project was a win-win-win,” said U.S. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, in a statement.
Harder, who had been a strong advocate for the plant, said he is calling on the DOE to reverse the decision, though the administration’s decision appeared to have strong political overtones.
Many of the projects canceled were in states that President Donald Trump lost in the November election. NOTUS reported the administration canceled billions in hydrogen project funding in California and the Pacific Northwest, but left similar projects in states that voted for Trump — Texas, Louisiana, West Virginia, Ohio, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Indiana — alone. The same was also true for other types of energy projects.
The administration said many of the canceled projects were rushed through in the final months of the Biden administration and lacked adequate documentation.
“President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars and expand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Today’s cancellation’s deliver on that commitment. Rest assured, the Energy Department will continue reviewing awards to ensure that every dollar works for the American people,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a statement about the axing of projects.
In announcing it had secured federal funding in 2023, Lodi said the project would have used treated wastewater from the White Slough Pollution Control Facility to make it more sustainable. It would have added jobs and allowed a 300-watt power plant to operate with a blend of natural gas and hydrogen. In vehicles, hydrogen is emission free.
Harder said the project would not only have cut energy bills but helped clean up the air. Stockton and Sacramento, he said, have some of the worst air quality among metropolitan areas in the country.