Exclusive: Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin questioning the wisdom of the Pentagon’s plan to use $104 million in public funds to add solar panels to the Pentagon’s roof.
The Virginia Republican told Austin he had “serious concerns” about the plan to attach solar panels to the roof of the Pentagon and other military installations, including that there were no “stated requirements that such panels should be made in America using American technology.” “.
“This decision has significant implications for U.S. national security and raises the question of whether U.S. taxpayer dollars will be used to purchase solar equipment from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), our largest economic and geopolitical rival ” read the letter, which was reviewed by Fox News Digital.
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Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
The letter follows a Defense Department announcement in January about the plan, which it said was part of the Biden administration’s efforts to promote clean energy and “reestablish the federal government as a development leader sustainable “.
The Pentagon is just one of 31 government sites expected to receive the $104 million in Energy Department grants, according to a January PBS report, with projects also underway at the Pentagon garrison. U.S. Army in Wiesbaden, Germany, and other locations.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Ian Waldie/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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But Youngkin expressed multiple concerns about the project, noting that “companies heavily influenced or controlled by the CCP dominate the global solar supply chain,” making it vital that the Department of Defense “requires that military purchases of Solar panels are sourced from verified domestic manufacturers with reliable supply chains.
The governor also highlighted other issues besides national security implications, noting that Chinese solar panels have a higher carbon footprint than U.S. producers and often use forced labor to build them.
The Pentagon is seen from Air Force One as it flies over Washington, March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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“I seriously question the priority given to this investment and the national security implications of this possible purchase,” Youngkin concluded. “If this comes to fruition, I strongly urge you to ensure that any equipment installed on the roof of the Pentagon is made in the United States and that the components are sourced domestically.”
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.