Homeowners, which of these consumes more energy in your house: space heating or water heating? Either way, Uncle Sam is ready to help you pay for some energy-efficient upgrades.

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden a year ago, created two energy-efficiency rebate programs that could pay some, or even all, of the costs of buying Energy Star-rated appliances, adding insulation or otherwise making your home more efficient.

The rub: States will administer the programs, and each one must apply for its share of the $8.8 billion in federal funds earmarked for the rebates. And some states may opt out.

One state has already indicated it probably won’t participate. Lawmakers in Tallahassee voted to apply for Florida’s allocation — which, at roughly $346 million, is the third-largest in the country, behind California and Texas. But Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the measure as “woke.” The DoE has not been officially notified, so DeSantis could still change his mind.

  • Red_October@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    1 year ago

    Honestly if Florida does opt out the Biden admin could absolutely score big on PR.

    Open: A children’s birthday party, a bunch of kids milling around, each wearing a shirt with a state flag. Florida flag kid is throwing a tantrum. The Florida child has Ron DeSantis’ face shittily deepfaked onto a child’s body. Florida: [screaming] “THERE’S NO CAKE”

    Parent enters the scene carrying a big cake. “Alright everyone! The cake is here!”

    [Other children all happily get cake and start eating.]

    Florida: [Still screaming] “I WANT CAKE!”

    Parent: “Here you go Florida, here’s your cake!”

    Florida: “NO! Not THAT Cake! Not YOUR Cake! I WANT CAKE!” [Florida begins to throw a full on kicking and screaming tantrum, screaming at the other kids who are enjoying their cake about how he wants cake but not that cake.]

    Parent to Camera: "Under the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction act, Florida is eligible for more than $350 Million in energy efficiency incentives. That’s money that would be easing consumer’s financial troubles in this difficult time, but Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to allow it. Florida is the only state that won’t get their fair share, because Governor DeSantis thinks it’s more important to make a scene than it is to make a difference.

    • Blackmist@feddit.uk
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      See, you’re thinking about this from the point of view of a rational person. The type of person who reads an article in a science journal and goes “oh, that’s interesting”.

      You’re dealing with people who think that microchips can go into a liquid vaccine, that Jews are setting America on fire with space lasers, and that Dems eat babies. You’re not dealing with normal people.

      • meyotch@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        It’s the normal people that worry me more than the crazy fringe. Extremists come to power with the implicit consent of the political middle. Frankly, I see a centrist as a bigger threat (and opportunity to change a mind) than an anti-woke nutjob.

      • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I had always assumed the microchip thing was silly just because of the scale issue. Totally forgot that vaccines have water in them, because of course they do, we are like 80% water anyway, a little more wont hurt us.