The National Hispanic Energy Council (NHEC), created to bring the Hispanic voice to the debate on energy policy, recently announced the creation of an initiative that seeks to reduce the extra payment of 20% in the cost of energy for Latino families in the United States. 

Julio Fuentes, NHEC Chairman and president and CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, stated:

Making energy more expensive hurts the American dream.

Drawing attention

Through its national campaign, the NHEC is actively seeking to engage legislators, elected officials, and the general public to produce a massive wake-up call that highlights the negative impact of high energy prices.

“Good energy policy is good economic policy. We are here to advocate for good energy policy that prioritizes American assets, that makes it easier to build the energy industry and infrastructure and provide the best environment for the American dream to thrive and prosper,” added Fuentes.

More reactions 

“Hispanics start businesses at a 3 to 5 times the rate of any other segment of the population. We’re entrepreneurial. We create jobs. What is important here for us to realize is that energy plays a big role in the success or failure of our businesses. The higher the cost of energy, the lower the profit. That means we cannot employ the number of people we want, we can’t provide the opportunity for people in our community,” said Lázaro Mur, co-founder of the Latino Coalition of the Palm Beaches. 

“There is a lot of partisanship in energy policy. It’s disheartening because when you have to use food stamps, it’s not a Democrat or Republican issue. There are no partisan lines when you are waiting in line to get your welfare check. In my state, we have a Democratic governor who has made energy and environmental policy work together, but I see many fellow Democrats trying to make energy more expensive by cutting off things like natural gas and even wood in our forests. People deserve economic opportunities and access to affordable energy, so we can drive and thrive into the future,” underscore Matthew Gonzales, NHEC Vice Chairman and  Consumer Energy Alliance’s Southwest Director. 

The NHEC is recruiting Hispanic leaders and corporate partners to convene its inaugural Board of Advisors.