紐時賞析／氣候補貼金發放預算再提高 拜登政府嚴查請領資格

How to Hand Out Billions in Climate Subsidies? Very Carefully.

拜登政府將謹慎處理氣候補貼金發放

John Podesta, President Joe Biden’s clean energy adviser, said the administration was working to ensure that a record $370 billion in new federal subsidies for electric vehicles, wind farms, batteries and other clean energy technologies is spent properly and avoids waste and abuse.

美國總統拜登的清潔能源顧問波德斯塔說，政府正努力確保創紀錄3700億美元的聯邦新補貼計畫，妥善的用於電動車、風電場、電池跟其他清潔能源技術，避免浪費和濫用。

Podesta said the White House would issue tax code guidelines by early next year to speed the delivery of the money and was meeting with inspectors general from across the federal government to get advice on ways to safeguard against fraud.

波德斯塔說，白宮將在明年年初前發布稅法指引，以加快資金發放，並跟聯邦政府各部門監察長會面，針對如何防止弊端獲得建議。

The internal watchdog at the Department of Energy, one of several agencies that is receiving an influx of money under the Inflation Reduction Act, has already warned that Secretary Jennifer Granholm's office does not have enough resources to properly monitor all the programs that will be created.

能源部是據「降低通膨法」獲得大量資金的幾個機構之一。能源部的內部監督機構已警告，部長葛蘭霍姆的辦公室沒有足夠資源來妥善監督所有即將創立的計畫。

Under the new law, the Department of Energy budget will grow from $45.3 billion to more than $100 billion in funds and $336 billion in loan authority. Another new law, the CHIPS and Science Act, will pump an additional $30.5 billion into the department.

根據新法律，能源部預算將從453億美元增加至超過1000億美元，以及3360億美元的貸款授權。另一項新法律「晶片與科學法」將為能源部額外注入305億美元。

Republicans, who will take control of the House in January, have suggested that they will investigate the Biden administration’s handling of the flood of tax rebates, loans and incentives under the landmark climate and tax law.

將於明年1月掌控眾議院的共和黨人說，他們將調查拜登政府如何根據這項具里程碑意義的氣候與稅務法，處理大量退稅、貸款與獎勵措施。

Podesta, who is responsible for overseeing the disbursement of the money, said complex rules expected from the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies would clarify who qualifies for various incentives and how the money will be doled out.

負責監督這筆錢發放的波德斯塔說，預計美國國稅局與其他機構將推出複雜規定，確定哪些人有資格獲得獎勵，以及這筆錢如何發放。

The federal dollars will be consequential to unleashing trillions of dollars in private-sector energy investments, he said.

他表示，這些聯邦資金將引發私人部門釋放數兆美元的能源投資。

“I’ve spent a fair amount of time listening to people who are anxious to invest in the United States as a result of this legislation and are preparing business plans assuming that those tax credits will have certainty,” Podesta said. He said the agencies were “on track” and would begin to issue official guidance “by the end of the year and early next year.”

波德斯塔說：「我花了相當多時間，傾聽因這項立法急於在美投資的人們意見，他們正準備營運計畫，並假定這些稅收抵免確定施行。」他表示，各機構正「按部就班」，並將在「年底跟明年初前」發布官方指引。

On Thursday, the White House made public a guidebook meant to help companies and consumers as well as state, local and tribal governments navigate the new law. Podesta said his aim was to create a road map that would especially help communities that disproportionately face pollution and climate hazards to take full advantage of the tax incentives.

白宮周四公布一份指引，目的是要幫助企業、消費者以及各州、地方與部落政府了解這項新法律。波德斯塔說，他的目標是擘劃一個路線圖，尤其要協助嚴重面臨汙染及氣候危害的社區，充分利用稅收獎勵措施。

文／Lisa Friedman 譯／陳韋廷