JANESVILLE — Wisconsin labor unions and environmental groups shared their rising concerns in a Zoom presentation Wednesday as the “Big Beautiful Bill” moved through the U.S. House of Representatives — a bill they say would repeal critical clean energy and manufacturing tax credits, putting thousands of Wisconsin jobs at risk and costing families more money.
Carly Ebben Eaton, the State Policy Manager for Wisconsin at the BlueGreen Alliance, the organization that hosted the panel, said if the bill is signed into law, it would kill most of the federal incentives that support clean energy deployment and advanced energy manufacturing in Wisconsin, jeopardizing jobs and raising costs for taxpayers. The bill puts $8.6 billion in private investments and more than 7,000 jobs at risk in the state.
The BlueGreen Alliance is a coalition of labor unions and environmental organizations that represent roughly 15 million members.
Eaton said the uncertainty surrounding Congress’s budget negotiations has already led to over $15 billion in canceled projects across the country since January, eliminating thousands of potential jobs.
“The clean energy tax credits are supporting over $8.6 billion in private investments across the state of Wisconsin and the markets,” Eaton said. “Market certainty that the tax credits have created currently means billions of dollars of more clean energy and manufacturing investment, along with thousands of more jobs that are likely on the way.”
“The bottom line is, killing these investments is a betrayal of blue-collar working Americans just to pad the pockets of billionaires,” Eaton said.
She emphasized that in a state like Wisconsin — which lacks a prevailing wage law and restricts local governments from setting stronger labor standards — federal clean energy tax credits have been crucial.
“These standards help level the playing field and ensure clean energy jobs are actually good jobs,” she said.
Other panel speakers included Andy Buck, Director of Governmental Affairs for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 7; Matt Van Der Puy, Business Representative for the Sheboygan area with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 18; Josh Birong, Business Manager of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry (UA) Local 118 in Racine; Garrik Harwick, Assistant Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 890 in Janesville; Matt Ganhs, President of the Western Wisconsin Building Trades Council and President of the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) Local 599; and Emily Pritzkow, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Building Trades Council.
Garrik Harwick, Assistant Business Manager of IBEW Local 890 in Janesville, which represents over 800 members across five counties in southern Wisconsin, highlighted how federal clean energy investments have directly benefited the region.
He said they had over 220 electrical workers on a 350-megawatt solar project this past year and noted that Local 890 is currently working on three additional solar projects, with more on the horizon. He emphasized that these investments have spurred an increase in apprenticeship applications and the size of training classes within the local’s programs.
Harwick warned that repealing the clean energy tax credits would reverse this progress, strain the energy supply, and drive up costs.
“Energy costs are expected to increase in Wisconsin by 6% for residences and 9.4% for commercial and industrial sectors,” he said, citing projections that show state energy bills could rise by $420 million annually by 2030 and over $1.2 billion by 2035.
“Clean energy tax credits are putting IBEW members to work in nearly every state. These investments don’t just deliver clean energy; they create good-paying union jobs that strengthen our local communities,” he added.
Emily Pritzkow, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Building Trades Council, said that repealing clean energy tax credits would have consequences beyond job losses, directly hitting Wisconsin families and businesses.
“When you eliminate those clean energy tax credits, you’re not just hurting workers, you’re also forcing every Wisconsin family to pay higher energy costs,” she said, estimating that households would see an average increase of $160 per year on their energy bills.
She said the bill also undermines Wisconsin businesses that have made long-term investments based on policy stability.
“It sends exactly the wrong message to companies looking to invest in our state,” she said. “Meanwhile, our competitors overseas are going to double down on clean energy while we retreat.”
Eaton added that the BlueGreen Alliance has more information on how to get involved.
Sign up for our Daily Update & Weekend Update email newsletters!
Get the latest news, sports, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
