In Trump’s "Big Beautiful" Bill, Ugly Contradictions & Giveaways to Oil & Gas Industry - CleanTechnica

President Trump’s $4 trillion “Big Beautiful” spending bill, signed on July 4, contains significant contradictions regarding energy and climate policy. Despite Trump’s skepticism about climate change, the bill increases federal subsidies for carbon capture projects, but only if the captured gas is used to enhance oil and gas extraction. The legislation cuts support for wind and solar energy—some of the cheapest energy sources—leading to an expected rise in average household energy costs by about $280 annually. It also phases out subsidies for electric vehicles, clean energy, and energy-efficient appliances, while providing substantial tax breaks and subsidies to the oil and gas industry. Key giveaways to fossil fuel companies include a reduction in royalty rates for drilling on public lands from 16.7% (set by the Inflation Reduction Act under Biden) to 12.5%, and the requirement for the Department of the Interior to conduct at least 30 offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, offering a minimum of 80 million acres each. The bill