Hello John ,

Lenise here, Stewardship Utah’s Rural Director. In addition to managing Stewardship Utah’s rural efforts, I’ve had the privilege of serving as mayor of Helper, Utah—a small town with a big history rooted in coal. Like many rural communities, we’ve weathered economic changes that challenged our identity and our future. But over the past few years, Helper has begun writing a new chapter—one built on resilience, reinvention, and clean energy.

That transformation wouldn’t be possible without the clean energy tax credits and federal grant programs provided through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

This isn’t about ideology. It’s about smart policy that gives communities the tools to solve their own problems. Because Helper owns and operates its own power grid, we’ve had the unique opportunity to lead locally. But without the tax credits offered through the Inflation Reduction Act, projects like ours simply wouldn’t be economically possible.

These tax credits are crucial for rural communities– they go further and mean more. They’re helping us create local opportunities, strengthen our infrastructure, and build a more secure future. The jobs are there. We just need the resources to support training and education, especially for those in a career transition.

View of Helper, UT's historic main street.

Some members of Congress have proposed rolling back these tax credits as part of efforts to balance the federal budget. I understand and respect the need to manage our nation’s finances responsibly—we all do it in our cities and towns. But cutting these programs is short-sighted. The clean energy economy is already paying dividends. These credits are bringing in billions in private investment, driving down energy costs, and reducing strain on public infrastructure. 

Clean energy development also reduces long-term costs from pollution, health care, and disaster response. The more we invest now, the less we’ll have to spend reacting to crises later. If we’re serious about fiscal responsibility, we need to be looking at how clean energy helps reduce public expenditures over time.

Across Utah, similar stories are unfolding. The $1.1 billion Green River Energy Center in Emery County—a massive solar-plus-storage project—depends on these credits to pencil out. Battery manufacturing and clean energy construction are ramping up in Tooele County. These aren’t abstract projects; they’re real economic engines that fuel rural growth and energy independence.

The proposed Senate budget bill threatens to undo that progress. It would repeal core tax credits supporting electric vehicles, home energy efficiency, clean electricity, and more. Neighboring states that started their energy transition earlier would benefit while Utahns are left behind. Our projects need certainty, not sudden policy reversals.

Bluff, UT, is one of the communities that would be impacted by IRA funding being cut.

From economic innovation projects in our rural counties to air-quality improvements along the Wasatch Front, these programs are benefiting Utahns across the board. We need Congress to preserve these tax credits and keep supporting Utah’s progress. Let’s keep Utah moving forward, not backward.

Onwards,

Lenise Peterman,

Rural Director

[email protected] 

www.stewardshiputah.org

P.S.  Don’t live in UT? Reach out to your Senator and/or Representative and tell them to protect the IRA.