Opinion: What Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has done for Utah

President Joe Biden just visited Utah, and I applaud his trip’s focus on the veterans-boosting PACT Act, but his signature climate achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act, also deserves praise. As a state senator, I’m seeing its impacts across Utah and the five cities I represent.

With $370 billion for clean energy jobs and manufacturing, the Inflation Reduction Act is boosting our economy and ensuring America spearheads the global race to clean, abundant, carbon-free power.

It’s vital. We face a challenge from China to produce and deploy the future of energy: electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal power and the like. The Inflation Reduction Act ensures the U.S. becomes the global leader.

It’s working. Nationwide, the law has already sparked 170,000 new clean energy jobs.

In Utah, Texas Instruments announced a new factory at its Lehi plant, and an innovative partnership will bring solar panel manufacturing and research to the state thanks to Biden’s push for domestic production. And with that push, Utah can also deploy our valuable deposits of critical minerals.

All told, the IRA will fuel America’s energy transition and create for Utah thousands of high-paying jobs and billions in new revenue.

During his visit to Salt Lake City, Biden focused on other priorities. However, the Inflation Reduction Act is getting America back on track towards energy independence as we compete with China to pioneer solutions in a changing climate. Utah consumers, workers and businesses will benefit, and that’s worth celebrating.

Nate Blouin

Millcreek