The IRA provides much needed support, but its shortcomings will come at the expense of southern communities.

By Yvonne Cappel-Vickery, AAE Clean Energy Grid Organizer

The oil and gas leasing required by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a condition for renewable energy leases will continue to place the Gulf of Mexico as a climate sacrifice zone, leaving Gulf frontline communities vulnerable.

​The Deepwater Horizon’s 2010 catastrophic oil spill is a painful reminder of the financial, social, and environmental impacts of offshore fossil fuel production. Provisions of the IRA that encourage more industrial development will place increased pollution burdens on the backs of southern communities already suffering the harms of pollution, even as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we need to stop expanding fossil infrastructure. The Gulf South must be spared from such a high climate burden. ​

​The IRA will provide desperately needed renewable energy and efficient electrification support, however, we must remain vigilant and ensure that the benefits created by the IRA are felt by coastal communities. While we support the idea of legislation that makes important investments in transforming the power and transportation sectors, we do not accept that the price we must pay for these investments is even more fossil fuel production.  

The otherwise commendable Inflation Reduction Act simultaneously takes a step backward by holding renewable energy expansion hostage to more fossil fuel production and subsidizing efforts to keep fossil fuels and old nuclear reactors alive.

“Gulf Coast communities are not in favor of additional leasing. This extraction of natural resources from the Gulf of Mexico devastates this region, especially Black, Indigenous, and poor folks. Instead of extracting from the Gulf, let's move to invest in frontline communities that have been negatively affected by these extractions. We are calling on President Biden to utilize his executive authority to protect marginalized communities.”
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Kanitra Caston-Hill, New Orleans, Louisiana

​The Alliance for Affordable Energy will continue to hold the line on advancing equitable and affordable energy. We’ll be leaning hard into helping communities access the benefits from IRA and we’ll be using every tool we have to stop further sacrifice of our home. 
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About the Author

Yvonne Cappel-Vickery is a long-time alliance ally, she began as an intern after graduating from Loyola university, and is now the Clean Energy Grid Organizer. Yvonne grew up in New Orleans, but has deep family roots in Vermillion parish. Yvonne was raised in a cajun-creole francophone home, which had a profound impact on her desire to work for equitable energy in the gulf south. ​

Learn more about Yvonne