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A critical part of US President Joe Biden’s climate agenda, which would replace coal and gas-fired power plants with wind, solar and nuclear power, is likely to be removed from the draft budget pending in Congress, the New York Times reported.

White House officials are revising the bill due to strong opposition from Senator Joe Manchin, the centrist Democrat from coal-rich West Virginia whose vote will be decisive in passing it, the newspaper said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

“Senator Manchin has clearly voiced his concerns about using taxpayers’ money to pay private companies for things they are already doing,” Manchin spokesman Sam Runyon told Reuters in a statement.

“He continues to support efforts to combat climate change while protecting US energy independence and ensuring our energy reliability,” said Runyon.

Both Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona centrist, have objected to the initial $ 3.5 trillion price tag for Biden’s spending plan to fund social programs and combat climate change. As a result, the president faces a difficult balancing act in trying to cut costs but not alienate the progressive Democrats who are also essential to getting the bill passed. In the equally divided Senate, every democratic vote is required for the adoption.

After meeting his Democrats on Capitol Hill earlier this month, Biden suggested that the bill could be slashed to around $ 2 trillion over 10 years.