Energy
Lowering Energy Costs, Diversifying Energy Production, & Accelerating Renewable Energy Development
In an effort to build a cleaner energy future and ensure Rhode Islanders have access to affordable, reliable energy, Senator Reed has delivered billions of dollars to strengthen Rhode Island’s energy grid and provide financial relief for families struggling to afford their energy costs.
As the Trump Administration continues to drive up gas prices, Senator Reed is working hard to lower prices at the pump, hold Big Oil accountable, and redirect windfall profits on gasoline from corporations back to consumers who have been unfairly forced to pay higher prices.
Senator Reed has also supported efforts to reduce America’s dependence on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels. He helped jumpstart Rhode Island’s offshore wind industry, and staunchly defended the Ocean State’s coastline from offshore oil drilling.
Senator Reed also recognizes the importance of innovation in the shift away from fossil fuels. Reed has long been a proponent of clean energy incentives and strong investments in renewable energy technologies – including battery storage – to meet this challenge.
KEY PRIORITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Senator Reed is the leading Congressional champion of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills by providing payment or energy crisis assistance. Since 2020, his leadership has brought over $220 million in LIHEAP funding to Rhode Island, helping tens of thousands of low-income households save hundreds on their home utility costs.
- Reed champions the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which helps Rhode Islanders lower their utility bills and reduce carbon emissions. He spearheaded a bipartisan effort to include a historic boost of WAP funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that resulted in a $15 million infusion into Rhode Island’s program, bringing the total to nearly $25 million weatherization dollars to the state in the past five years alone.
- Reed secured the first earmark for the Special Area Management Plan process that led to the construction of Rhode Island’s Block Island Wind Farm – the first offshore wind farm in America. He has continued to champion the newest Revolution Wind Farm against the Trump Administration’s reckless stop-work orders.
- Senator Reed helped craft and pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to channel hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to clean energy and energy efficiency projects and programs in Rhode Island. This included approximately $32 million currently being deployed by Rhode Island’s Community Action Agencies to help low-income Rhode Islanders buy and install energy efficient appliances that DOE estimates can help families save up to $500 annually on energy costs.
- Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Reed helped create a billion-dollar Green and Resilient Retrofits Program at the Department of Housing and Urban Development that led to Rhode Island securing more than $10 million in federal grants and loans for energy efficiency building upgrades for affordable housing.
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Senator Reed has spearheaded efforts to lower natural gas costs for U.S. households and small businesses by pushing both the Biden and Trump administrations to reduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports overseas and keep more energy at home for American consumers.