Trump eyes 70 percent cut to DOE’s renewables office

President Trump is considering a 70 percent cut to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) renewable energy office, Axios reported on Wednesday.

The proposal, which was in a draft document Axios obtained, would come in a budget proposal Trump is due to unveil this month. 

Under the plan, the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office would get $160 million in fiscal year 2018, down from the $762 million it got for fiscal 2017 on an annualized basis.

{mosads}The office conducts research, development, grants and more aimed at developing and deploying energy efficiency and renewable technology.

It has played a key role in dramatically reducing the costs of solar power, among other technologies, but some Republicans feel it is wasteful and represents favoritism for certain energy sources over others.

Axios also reported that the Trump administration wants a 31 percent cut to DOE’s nuclear energy office and 54 percent less going to its fossil fuel office.

All of the cuts would only be proposals. Congress has the final say over funding, and is likely to closely scrutinize cuts to the programs, which enjoy bipartisan support.