Evers highlights environmental achievements, ongoing efforts in Clean Energy Plan Report
The GOP has long fought against Evers’ environmental policy, going so far as holding up money dedicated to PFAs cleanup in the 2023-25 budget. The money has still not been allocated
Gov. Tony Evers’ and the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy touted the state’s reduction in greenhouse emissions, lower energy bills, more jobs, and the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan in a recently released progress report.
The state is on track, the report says, to achieve a 72% decrease in emissions by 2030. The administration also aims to create 40,000 jobs through investments in innovative industries and job training programs.
Since 2019, the Evers Administration has implemented a series of executive orders and legislative actions to advance its climate and clean energy goals, including creating the OSCE, the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, and the Office of Environmental Justice.
The administration pointed to the Home Efficiency Rebate (HOMES) and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs, which they say have delivered over $2 million in rebates to Wisconsin households for energy-saving improvements. Additionally, the recent biennial budget eliminated the sales tax on household energy bills, which Evers says will save families over $178 million over the next two years.
Evers has also focused on underserved communities through the Green Innovation Fund, which invests public and private money in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including efforts to reduce energy waste, update building codes, promote low-emission vehicles, and expand refueling options, among others.
"We remain committed to our core values of equity, justice, and collective action,” said OSCE Director Maria Redmond. “These principles continue to guide us and help shape our vision of a clean energy future that benefits all Wisconsinites."
Republicans in the state legislature have balked at most of Evers’ environmental efforts, complaining that they bypass the legislative process and that they will ultimately raise families’ energy costs. The GOP in the state has long fought against Evers’ environmental policy, going so far as holding up money dedicated to PFAs cleanup in the 2023-25 budget. The money has still not been allocated.
In addition to state-led efforts, the report recognized youth-driven initiatives, such as the Chippewa Falls High School Green Team, which has secured funding for and installed solar panels in their community.
The Evers administration has also joined a multi-state lawsuit to protect federal funding for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and joining the U.S. Climate Alliance’s Affordable Clean Cars Coalition.
"A clean energy economy is as much about protecting the health of our communities as it is about protecting the health of our environment," said Governor Evers. "Our state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan helped chart the course toward a stronger, more sustainable clean energy future by lowering energy costs for working families, creating good-paying jobs in innovative industries, and building the healthier future that our kids and grandkids deserve."
The full 2025 Clean Energy Plan Progress Report is available here.
Evers highlights environmental achievements, ongoing efforts in Clean Energy Plan Report © 2025 by Carol Lenz is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
