Rep. Dave Min Leads California Democratic Delegation in Condemning Dept. of Energy’s Illegal Cancellation of Funds for California’s Hydrogen Hub

Washington, D.C. - Following the Trump administration's decision to illegally cancel roughly $8 billion of federal funding for clean energy projects, including $1.2 billion for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) Hydrogen Hub, Rep. Dave Min, along with Representatives Mike Levin and George Whitesides, led the full California Democratic delegation in a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright condemning the Department of Energy's (DOE) cut to ARCHES, and demanding the funding be restored.

California's regional hydrogen hub was projected to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs throughout the state, drive cutting-edge technological innovation, and help the United States maintain its domestic energy dominance, all while reducing rising energy costs and improving air quality for millions of California residents.

"We know that the economy of the future will be based on cheap and plentiful renewable energies," said Rep. Min. "The Trump administration's attempts to claw back funding that has already been apportioned is not only illegal, it is incredibly shortsighted. We cannot concede global energy dominance to China, and hydrogen fuel storage will be an important pillar of providing the energy needed for our economy in the 21st century. I urge the Department of Energy to reverse this decision."

You can read the full letter here.

"The decision to terminate the DOE's agreement with ARCHES is not only in clear violation of its grant agreement, but profoundly shortsighted," wrote the lawmakers. "Data centers and artificial intelligence are driving an aggressive demand for new sources of power, and countries that innovate to overcome these bottlenecks will lead the 21st - century economy. This administration cannot be pulling the plug on an American industry and crushing domestic innovation as China races ahead, pouring billions of dollars into its own energy sector."

They continued, "This unlawful action is all the more alarming considering that ARCHES has demonstrated significant progress and remains a success story in the regional hydrogen hub program. Terminating the grant agreement will kneecap a major economic driver for the State of California-as ARCHES is projected to create over 200,000 jobs-while also harming local economies in Republican and Democratic states alike. The hub is already driving further demand to invest in and build new factories throughout the United States, with many ARCHES projects placing purchase orders or leveraging existing manufacturing facilities in states like Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Texas, and others."

The representatives are demanding answers as to the legal justification for the cancellation of these grants by October 29, 2025.

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