Congressional House Democrats last week introduced two proposals designed to address climate change and funding needed infrastructure repairs and upgrades
Clean Future Act
On January 28, the Chairs of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittees on Energy and Environment and Climate Change released a revised proposal to address climate change called the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act.
The CLEAN Future Act is a comprehensive proposal of sector-specific and economy-wide solutions to address the climate crisis by adopting a goal of achieving 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050.
In addition to the clean power goal,some of the key elements include:
-- Building Sector: Establishes national energy savings targets for continued improvement of model building energy codes, leading to a requirement of zero-energy-ready buildings by 2030.
-- Transportation Sector: Reduces transportation emissions by improving vehicle efficiency, accelerating the transition to low- to zero-carbon fuels and building the infrastructure needed for a clean transportation system.
-- Industrial Sector: Establishes a Buy Clean Program that sets performance targets to steadily reduce emissions from construction materials and products used in projects that receive federal funding.
-- State Climate Plans: The bill sets a national climate standard of net-zero greenhouse gas pollution in each state by 2050. States are then granted flexibility to develop plans to meet the 2050 and interim standards based on their policy preferences, priorities and circumstances.
-- National Climate Bank: Establishes a first-of-its-kind National Climate Bank to help states, cities, communities and companies in the transition to a clean economy by mobilizing public and private investments to provide financing for low- and zero-emissions energy technologies, climate resiliency, building efficiency and electrification, industrial decarbonization, grid modernization, agriculture projects, and clean transportation.
Click Here for the legislative framework. Click Here for a section-by-section summary. Click Here for the legislative text.
Infrastructure Proposal
On January 29, the Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released a framework for a five-year, $760 billion investment in infrastructure that would address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs, from addressing the massive maintenance backlog, to designing safer streets, to putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector and increasing resiliency.
The framework outlines major investments, including those in highways, rail, and transit systems, airports, ports and harbors, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, brownfields, and broadband.
Among other provisions, the framework--
-- Sets a path toward zero carbon pollution from the transportation sector, creating jobs, protecting our natural resources, promoting environmental justice, and increasing resiliency to climate change.
-- Ensures a transportation system that is green, affordable, reliable, efficient and provides access to jobs.
-- Provides safe, clean, and affordable water and wastewater services.
-- Helps combat climate change by creating good-paying jobs in clean energy, investing in energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
Click Here for a factsheet. Click Here for the legislative framework.
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[Posted: February 1, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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