Rep. Carson Blasts Indianapolis Airport Clean Energy Grant Cancellation – InkFreeNews.com

U.S. Rep. André Carson at an Indianapolis rally on Oct. 26, 2024. Photo by Whitney Downard, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — U.S. Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., is criticizing the Trump administration’s plan to cancel millions of dollars in federal clean energy grants, including funding intended for Indianapolis International Airport.

“The Trump administration is taking money away from Indianapolis to score cheap political points in Washington,” Carson said in a release.

Carson’s office said he was informed that the Federal Aviation Administration plans to terminate a grant that would have supported construction of a solar power battery storage facility at the airport. The FAA reportedly said the grant “did not align” with the administration’s priorities.

In a statement, the Indianapolis Airport Authority confirmed that the funding commitment has been withdrawn. The authority said it had not yet received the money or begun work on the project, but remains financially stable and will adjust its priorities for other infrastructure needs.

Officials added that they plan to continue working with the FAA and congressional leaders to pursue future clean energy funding opportunities.

The Indianapolis airport had been awarded $22.58 million in federal funding in July 2023 to install solar panels and energy-efficient infrastructure to its solar power battery storage facility — the largest airport-based solar farm in the world — a project officials described as a major environmental and economic benefit for the region. Carson said the administration’s broader plan would eliminate nearly $37 million in clean energy infrastructure funding nationwide, including a $6.7 million portion tied to Indianapolis.

“The IND Solar Farm was first launched in 2014 with the support of Republican Mayor Greg Ballard,” Carson said. “Republicans and Democrats have long supported this project because it is economically viable and environmentally intelligent. It provides renewable energy to the electric grid, lowers emissions, improves air quality, and lowers the airport’s operating costs.”

The project was expected to provide renewable electricity for the airport terminal and contribute to regional emissions reductions. It represented the first phase of a long-term plan to transition the airport’s energy consumption to onsite solar generation.

“Infrastructure should not be partisan,” Carson said. “This funding belongs to Indianapolis.”