UPDATE: October 2, 2025 at 6:33 p.m.
Washington Senator Maria Cantwell also released the following statement responding to the stripping of federal funds impacting Washington energy projects:
“The Trump Administration’s politically motivated decision to strip funds from the pioneering Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub is unprecedented and corrupt. Our region was awarded this Hub following an intensive national competition because we showed we had the pioneering researchers, clean energy resources, and over $5 billion in committed local investment that it would take to show that clean hydrogen can work. I will be fighting to restore these funds.”
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Bob Ferguson spoke out on Thursday, condemning the termination of more than $1.1 billion in funding for Washington state energy projects by the Trump Administration.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that 321 financial awards funding 223 projects would be cut, on the grounds that they “did not meet the economic, national security or energy security standards necessary to justify continued investment.”
“On day one, the Energy Department began the critical task of reviewing billions of dollars in financial awards, many rushed through in the final months of the Biden administration with inadequate documentation by any reasonable business standard,” DOE Secretary Chris Wright stated. “President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars and expand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Today’s cancellations deliver on that commitment.”
According to Brionna Aho, Communications Director for the Office of the Governor, $1 billion of the targeted funding was designated for the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub. This project aimed to establish a clean hydrogen economy for the region, and reportedly would have created over 10,000 jobs while reducing emissions in “technologies that are among the hardest to decarbonize.”
The Governor’s Office alleges these funding cuts are targeting Democratic-led states in the wake of the government shutdown that has already impacted nearly 80,000 federal employees in Washington.
“It is outrageous that this administration is using a government shutdown to punish blue states like Washington,” Governor Ferguson stated. “These projects will lower costs, create jobs, and reduce air pollution. We’re working with the Attorney General’s Office to fight this illegal action.”
The federally funded projects impacted by this termination were considered critical to Washington’s efforts towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
According to the governor’s office, the grant recipients included Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, Nippon Dynawave in Cowlitz County, PACCAR Incorporated in Skagit County, CleanFiber Incorporated in Lewis County, Spokane Edo LLC in Spokane County, SilFab Solar Washington Incorporated in Skagit County and Washington State University in Whitman County.
More details on the specific projects and their previously awarded funding can be found in the governor’s press release.
Article originally published October 2, 2025 at 6:18 p.m.